Saturday, December 3: Matthew 8- Whatever the need.

After 3 chapters of teaching, Jesus becomes a man of action and miracles. I watched Jesus. When people had a need, it didn’t matter if it was great or not, Jesus met it and cared for the individual.

Right out of the shoot Jesus heals a man with leprosy. Touching an untouchable, this healing allowed an outcast to rejoin the community. Go Jesus!

Next stop, the Centurion’s servant who was at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering (6). Again, the need seems great.  Who wouldn’t want to bring healing to someone in terrible suffering? Jesus did and He showed us a lesson about faith in the process.

Next comes Peter’s mom. It sounds like Jesus is having one of those days when you get out of bed and never stop running. Jesus and His crew go to Peter’s house, I’m surmising for some RnR and a good home cooked meal, only to find Peter’s mom in bed with a fever. Matthew doesn’t tell us the extent of the illness –a case of the flu, a migraine, an allergy headache- we don’t know. But compared to leprosy and someone paralyzed and in terrible pain, the headache issue doesn’t stack up. And yet Jesus cares for Peter’s mom just as he did the others. Herein lies my morning lesson…

Jesus was present with the people He was with. He didn’t keep score, only helping people in dire need. He doesn’t have a rating system dealing only with the most critical. Jesus helps the person He is with, whatever their issue or need. To Jesus ,the woman with the headache is as important as the leper.

The person He is with… whatever the need, that’s a picture of Jesus in action!

Do I reflect Jesus? This is my question and thought for today…

Lord Jesus, as I go about my day today, help me to be present with those people You bring my way. Help me to be present with them and to act as Your Spirit leads and directs. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

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