Love is to be the fragrance of each believer’s life; love is the evidence that Christ’s work for salvation changes lives. God is love…God is with us…God is good! (1 John 4:8; Mat 1:23; Ps 100:5). Our self-centered lives are being transformed into God-centered living. In Christ, we are now blessed to be a blessing in the salvation of the nations (Gen 22:18; Mat 28:18-20). This is the plan of God to redeem his world—one heart at a time!
Yesterday, we read John’s Spirit-guided letter to the church in Philadelphia [Asia Minor]; the love of a spiritual family that permeated the community with the fragrance of the Lord. Every true believer enjoys a personal relationship with God and identifies him or herself with divine Love based on the Word. As well, believers join together as a spiritual Body or family to proclaim God’s Love and welcome redeeming Truth while worshiping God as One in the Spirit.
It is impossible to say we believe in Christ for salvation and not love the spiritual family. It is also impossible to say we believe in Christ for salvation, love the spiritual family, and neglect caring about the burdens of those in the world that need a saving touch from God. We are God’s ambassadors in the world; we represent his love. So our actions must be ruled and directed by agape Love.
In our passage today, Dr. Luke writes about an encounter Jesus has with the Pharisees when Jesus stops to heal a man with a deformed right hand on the Sabbath. The Jewish religious leaders believed healing was wrong on the Sabbath, because it was unlawful to practice medicine [or any other profession] on that day. Dr. Luke concludes if God wants to miraculously heal on the Sabbath; it must be a holy time to do so. Amen!
Luke 6:6-11 NLT Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
6 On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. 7 The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.
8 But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. 9 Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?”
10 He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 11 At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for another wonderful lesson about your love and heart to heal those who are suffering. We have so many people we are praying for right now who need a miracle. You are Lord of the Sabbath and you are King of all Kings. Power and glory are yours to give, so we pray for our loved ones today to be miraculously healed in Jesus’ name. Amen.