Luke 4:38-41

Luke 4:38-41

And after standing up, he went out of the synagogue and into the house of Simon.  And the mother-in-law of Simon was besieged by a great fever and they asked Him regarding her.  And after standing above her, He abjured the fever and it left her.  And immediately after standing up she served them.  And while the sun set, all who were having ones weakened by disease were leading them to Him.  And the one who laid hands upon every one of them was restoring them to health.  And even demons came out from many while also saying, “You are the Son of God!”  And while rebuking them he was not permitting them to speak because they had known Him to be the Christ.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

 There is a connection between the story of Peter’s mother-in-law and the multitude.  In both cases, the people around Jesus had to bring them to Jesus’ attention.  Of course, Jesus is the Son of God.  It’s not like He didn’t know what was going on.  But I believe that there is a teaching here.  While God can do anything, He doesn’t do everything.  While God knows everything, He doesn’t forcibly control everything.  Sometimes god lets us come to Him and ask for His hand to be at work.  Sometimes God steps back and lets us have free will.  Sometimes God steps back and gives us an opportunity to intervene – or even better, to ask Him to intervene.

Do you think it is necessary to ask God to do something?  Do you think that God appreciates being asked and invited to work?

Second Thought:

Notice that Jesus commands the fever in Peter’s mother-in-law.  In fact, we get the feeling like Jesus treats the fever like the demons he encounters with the crowd.  Jesus truly has dominion over the whole world.  He can command disease.  He can command fever.  He can command demons.  He can command water to part.  He can command the wind the cease.  He can command trees to wither.  His power is incredible.  What is perhaps even more amazing is the restraint that Jesus shows as He commands.  While Jesus commands all of these things I list above – and even more – Jesus doesn’t often command human beings.  We have free will.  Jesus respects our free will.  While His authority is universal, His restraint is even greater.

Do you think that Jesus has the power to command all things?  Why doesn’t Jesus command human beings like He commands the elements of the world?  What does it say about Jesus’ authority that He doesn’t command us?

Third Thought:

Peter’s mother-in-law serves Jesus and those who brought His attention to them.  This is the proper response to God.  God breaks into our life and imparts His grace and mercy.  We should desire to serve Him.  We should desire to serve Him from the moment of our healing onward.

Do you desire to serve God?  How has Jesus put His display of power in your life?

Passage for Tomorrow: Luke 4:42-44