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I am using readings from the 49 Week Bible Challenge as the basis for these devotions. I encourage you to join me in this discipline. Today’s readings are Luke 13; Psalm 118; 122; Jeremiah 22.
Luke 13:10-17
Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” 13 And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” 17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.
Psalm 118:1-4
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!2 Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Randy Alcorn’s book, If God is Good, had a very positive impact on me. His opening thoughts about our judgment of God’s goodness – based on our very limited and focused observations – spoke to me deep within. He pointed out a Barna poll that asked: “If you could ask God only one queston and you knew he would give you an answer, what would you ask?” The most common response was “Why is there pain and suffering in the world?” C. S. Lewis realized, after his wife’s death, “If I had really cared as I thought I did, about the sorrows of the world, I should not have been so overwhelmed when my own sorrow came.”
So here we have a woman who was obviously suffering terribly. Jesus heals her. And everyone is happy about it, right? Not so fast. Can you believe the Pharisees actually use this as an opportunity to criticize Jesus?!? Really??? They don’t care about human suffering. They only care about getting rid of Jesus. They’ll do anything to discredit him – including stepping over a once bent-over woman to criticize Jesus’ act of steadfast love.
The psalm says, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” Jesus who is God in the flesh (try to get your head around that concept!), cannot do anything but express the goodness of God. He shows how God’s steadfast love is enduring and present in that moment in response to the woman’s plight.
Jesus’ words to the Pharisees are also words from which we must learn. Shouldn’t this “daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond?” he asks. We too easily get caught up in our own pain and suffering and become blind to the greater pain and suffering in the world. If we are to reflect the heart of God, we must see others from hearts made pure by the love of Jesus inside us. His steadfast love is for all people. He showed that to the bent over woman by straightening her up. She glorified God.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! – Psalm 118:1
David Bahn - Reflections 
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