IF IT'S GOOD FOR A COW
LUKE 13:15-16 NKJV
15 The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"
Once again, Jesus is confronting the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of His day.
In our passage for today, Jesus had the audacity to heal a woman on the Sabbath.
Instead of rejoicing that a lady who had been afflicted by Satan for 18 years was now free, the ruler of the synagogue was indignant. In his mind, it was fine to be healed any other day of the week, but the Sabbath was a holy day.
Jesus did not mince words with this leader. Called him a hypocrite. Because Jesus knew that even religious leaders would take care of their animals on the Sabbath. These work animals, cows, oxen, donkeys, were not confined to a stall but were set loose to get them water. Jesus made the case that if an animal could be helped and taken care of on the Sabbath, how much more this lady?
Notice Jesus called the lady a daughter of Abraham. This showed that she was Jewish and under the Abrahamic covenant. In that covenant, God was revealed as Israel's Healer.
Jesus also noted that it was Satan who had bound her for 18 years. This woman was bent over and could not stand up straight. Jesus attributed her condition to the work of Satan, not God.
It is sad to think that this ruler of the synagogue would have more concern for a cow than a woman. But that's what religion can do.
APPLICATION:
There are many different opinions regarding healing today.
Some believe that God puts sickness on people to teach them. Others believe God can heal but usually chooses not to. While others believe that the same Jesus who healed during His time on earth is still the Healer today.
But wherever you stand on divine healing, there is an area that we all should agree on. If someone who is sick, injured, tormented, oppressed, or just hurting gets better, we all should rejoice. People getting helped is more important than our doctrinal beliefs.
As a dog lover, I have spent more than I care to think about helping my dogs get better. People matter more to God than animals.
PRAYER;
Thank You Heavenly Father for Your care for me. Thank You that You desire for me to be free and not bound by anything that would hurt or destroy. Jesus revealed Your heart for mankind and that kind of compassion is comforting to me.