Freed by Obedience

"And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, 'Woman, you are freed from your sickness.' And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God. But the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, 'There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day." Luke 13: 10-14 NASB

We began a new series yesterday with Jesus Sees Us As We Are. 

Jesus was teaching at a synagogue outside Jerusalem on the Sabbath. There was a woman present who had a disease (caused by a spirit) that resulted in her being bent over double. She could not stand straight. The disease had persisted for 18 years. Jesus saw her and called her over to him.

"And He laid His hands on her" indicates that she went to Jesus when He called her. 

Still bent double, head still facing the ground, she did not wait for her circumstances to change. She did not wait for Jesus to do something impressive. She did not whine that he would make her a spectacle in front of everyone present that day. She didn't hold back because of fear. She didn't ask why.

He called. She obeyed. It was as simple as that.

That's what a disciple does. The Master says do it, and the disciple does it. No arguing. No whining. No delay.

When she went, when she obeyed His simple command to come to Him, a wonderful thing happened. She was freed of the thing that had plagued her unrelentingly for nearly two decades. 

Freed because of obedience.

It makes obedience when we don't understand seem a lot more desirable, doesn't it? It makes refusal to obey because we are afraid seem much more foolish.

What has God asked us to do? What is our excuse for delay?

Is He calling? Step out. Step forward. Do what He says to do, because it is worth it. It is always, always worth it. So obey. Simply obey.

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Our Father, forgive me for my hesitation in obedience. Help me to embrace Your calling and follow, just as You've asked me to do. I will follow where you call, Lord. I will follow. In Jesus' name, Amen.

#disciple #Iwillfollow #JesusChrist #obedience