Believe

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

BELIEVE

Luke 4:38-39

38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.

NIV

It would seem there are two truths we should explore with thought. First the idea that Jesus can simply rebuke a fever and it leaves should be proof enough of his divinity. Matthew says of the same event, that Jesus touched her hand and the fever left. However the situation was exactly, Jesus bending over this woman, lying in bed with a fever, touching her hand so she knew he was there, and rebuking the fever, this women was healed instantly by Jesus. Can we say it plainly, that Jesus heals? We certainly can. Can we also say that he still has that divine power to heal? Yes we can. So then why is it that there are times when we are not healed? Why do we live with either a sickness or some infirmity? Could it be due to our reliance on modern medicine rather than Jesus? We hear of some people who have refused modern medicine for religious reasons and they have had their children die. We condemn their actions, or even their beliefs. Is this proof of our abandonment of faith in Jesus for our faith in doctors whom merely practice medicine? Jesus does not need to practice, he can simply heal. So then what will we do? Will we think that Jesus uses doctors to heal us? Should we refuse to think that he would use doctors and just wait for him to do it divinely, miraculously? Could both be true? He has healed miraculously. Doctors have cured some as well, but not all, Jesus can cure all. The second truth here has to do with Simon, or Peter. There is a benefit to the family or even a friend of a God fearing man. Because Peter believed in Jesus, his family benefited from Jesus. We should have that kind of relationship with our Lord that our families, our friends, and even our acquaintances have the benefit of Jesus in their lives. This might well play out in our praying for those who are sick, or our laying on of our hands, as representing the hand of Jesus as he touched Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. However our actions, people around us should benefit by experiencing the divine touch of Jesus. Both these truths are based on one single fact, we must believe.