If you have ever seen a woman with a hunched back, you can tell no matter how much she may desperately want to stand up straight that she simply cannot. She appears so weighed down with the so-called hump in her back that she simply has had to get used to carrying her burden in a bent down position. And to live her life in spite of the hump and the limitations that come with it. Imagine the unfathomable surprise and joy the woman with the spirit of infirmity in the Bible must have experienced after decades of living with her body bent down toward the ground when Jesus came along.
Please consider carefully what happened.
- Jesus called her to Himself
- The woman evidently came without hesitation to Jesus
- Jesus spoke to the woman
- Jesus touched the woman; He laid His hands on her
- Immediately the woman once terribly weighed down by her humped back could stand straight
- SHE GAVE GLORY TO GOD!
Now would you please consider this? When you and I are terribly burdened by our trials and tribulations, our struggles and challenges, our troubles and tragedies, we are rather weighed down, aren’t we? We have an emotional hump upon our backs. Under no circumstances are we able to stand up straight emotionally. We are essentially bound in our powerful emotions. And sometimes for some of us who have endured very hard challenges in life we find ourselves hump-backed – for years! We even may feel as I once did as though we will always be bent down with an unbearably painful burden that never seems to grow smaller but in fact often seems to grow and grow.
Now imagine this:
- Jesus calls us to Himself to believe in Him and follow Him and to bring our troubles and hurting hearts and great burdens to Him as we go along in life
- We come without hesitation into the presence of the Lord whenever we are hurting, struggling, down, disheartened, discouraged, grieving, etc.
- Jesus speaks to us through the Bible and by the Holy Spirit who speaks to our hearts personally in line with the Bible
- Jesus touches us; He lays His hands on us. Oh, surely He does not place His physical hands upon us. But when we humble ourselves before Him and pour out our hearts to Him, His awesome love touches us; His indescribably wonderful comfort, compassion, peace, tenderness, gentleness, promises, wisdom, fellowship, blessings etc. touch us
- We who come to Him so weighed down with our broken hearts and seemingly insurmountable struggles cast our burdens upon Him and are made free from the weight of them. Oh, sure, we must go forth in life still dealing with the trials of this life. But no more is the weight upon us burdening us beyond measure as though we are all alone suffering without any help at all. Now we are reminded we belong to Jesus who takes our burdens upon His own shoulders and leads us through our lives whereby we are never ever alone and always have Him to lead, guide, comfort, and provide for us. Oh, yes, now we can stand up straight and continue forward in the life God sets before us in the love and strength and gloriousness of our precious beloved Lord, Savior, comforter, healer, and best friend Jesus.
- Now so very importantly may we never forget that when we are set free, when we are straightened, when our cares and hearts have been cast upon Jesus, may we always give all glory to the Lord for His love and goodness, His kindness and care, His wondrousness and blessedness. Oh, yes, glory be to the Lord who makes our burdened souls free and makes us able to stand straight and keep walking – by faith – in love – with Him – Lord of Lords, King of Kings – forevermore, AMEN!
“And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.” Luke 13:11-13 NKJV
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Cor. 5:7 NKJV
“And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” Eph. 5:2 NKJV
“casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 NKJV