“Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”
Psalms 150:6 NRSV
One would think that an action that elicits the praise of God would be a good thing. Yet when we read through Luke 13:10-17, the healing of the woman on the Sabbath is seen as a problem by some of the religious leaders. The people were not worshiping Jesus, they were worshiping God.
We might say that it was Jesus who did the healing, if this is the case then we can come to one of the following conclusions:
1. Jesus is God incarnate, thus the healing is pointing to God.
2. God is working through Jesus thus the healing is done by God.
3. God healed this woman in the presence of all these people.
4. Jesus did this healing all by himself and the people worshiped God.
5. Jesus was using powers given to Him by the devil and the people worshiped God.
Even on the stranger conclusions that people could draw from this occurrence, God is still be worshiped. Even the last two seem to fall flat and would be counter productive to their underlying purpose of usurping influence from God because the people turned to God and praised Him. This act of healing brought people into a closer relationship with God instead of distancing people from God. It did not put Jesus into a place of idolization, Jesus was pointing to God.
Jesus mentions that this is spiritual battle and He gave this woman freedom from the spiritual and physical trauma that she had been living with. Jesus does not glorify Himself or Satan, He continually is showing people God’s healing love. He is trying to help people live a life that is freely honour God, not being force to or excluded from worshiping God.
On the Sabbath, do you take time to rest, to heal, and to be free? Do you only focus on yourself, your physical body? What about your emotions, or your soul? Do you come to Jesus for the healing that will help you do be strengthened? Will you give God praise for what you have experienced and seen God do in yourself and in others?
