A closer look reveals that his was not a demon possession. The details of the account make us aware there is something else going on here. Throughout his gospel Luke clearly states when an individual is possessed and he does not in this account. They are worshiping in the Synagogue on the Sabbath. Not a place you often seen demon possessed people. Luke notes that Jesus calls the woman forward and touches her, which is something Jesus does no where else in Scripture when dealing with a demon possessed person. Jesus frees her not from a demon or a spirit, but from her “infirmity.”

 This infirmity is not identified, but its effect upon the woman is clear. It crippled her physically and the way the text describes the woman indicates that it impacted her spirit as well. Being crippled she would have been considered a social outcast. Satan used all of this to keep her bound, weak, and believing she could never be whole. She would shuffle her way to the synagogue, sit in the back unable to look up, weakened in body and broken in spirit.

 We live in a society of fatalist. We would look at such a woman and think that she will be that way the rest of her life. There are things which people cannot overcome. We are a product of our upbringing and the best we can do is cope. The hurts and pain of the past haunt us, weaken us and the best we can do is struggle through life in spite of the problems. Societal name tags, spirits crushed through abuse, past failures; press in upon us bending us over keeping from becoming all we are to be in Christ. We define ourselves by our weakness, by our infirmities. With these distorted concepts we conclude that we can never live victoriously for Jesus; we could never be holy; we can never be made whole; we are destined to live in our crippled condition, bound by a spirit of infirmity.

 But as He did to the woman, so Jesus does to us. He call us to Himself that He may touch us and set us free from the infirmities that bind us and hold us back; Woman, you are set free from your infirmity. Then He put her hand on her and immediately she straightened up and praised God. (13:12-13) It does not always happen immediately in every person’s life, but God’s wants us to be holy. He desires to restore within us His very Image, transform us into the image of Christ. Any infirmity that would hinder this He is ready to free us from. We need only to heed His call and in faith receive His healing restoring grace. No longer will we be defined by our infirmity, our weakness, our brokenness; No, now we are defined by and live whole in Christ!

 Beloved, Jesus is calling. Let us heed His call and come to Him that He may touch us, make us whole enabling us live victorious in Him, praising God in our words and actions!

Keep Close to Jesus
Pastor Gerry

A Pause To Ponder God's Word is written and distributed by Gerald Whetstone, Ordained Elder and teacher in the Church of the Nazarene. These devotionals may be transmitted, duplicated, used in part or in entirety without permission for nonprofit purposes only. Responses welcome.