Have you ever been in a funk? You know what I mean…like you just don’t feel God there? We call out to him and we wonder where He is and why he is not answering our prayers a little bit quicker than he is? I have been like that lately. It’s like I am praying and praying about the same things all the time and yet I see no results. Well, I was reading my Bible today and this story in Luke jumped out at me. It’s the story about a lady who had been bent over for 18 years (Luke 13). Jesus was teaching in the synagogue and this little lady came to hear him. She could not stand up straight and every inch of her hurt from being bent over for so long. She was probably looked upon as unlovable and shunned by the community. She hauled herself simply to ear Jesus speak. She came in, took a seat, and began to listen. She couldn’t really look up at him because her back was not straight. But….she didn’t have to. The story tells us that Jesus saw her and called her forward. She didn’t have to do a thing! He saw her, knew every detail of her life….the pain, the ridicule…he knew it all and was moved with compassion as he often was. She did not have to speak a word..he knew her and loved her and desired for her life to be whole. She got up-probably against her natural will because she wouldn’t want the stares (she got enough of those) and went to him. He simply said to her “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity” and she was healed! She went out praising God and telling of his goodness.
I pondered this story and thought to myself that this lady had went around for 18 years like this. I am sure she went to the synagogue and prayed, offered sacrifices and possibly sought medical help. However, it wasn’t time just yet for her to be healed. Then I thought, “well maybe it’s not time for my prayers to be answered” Hum….well that would make sense. We want God to work in our time when we should be waiting on His. So, I have resigned myself that I will not be in a funk. I know that God spoke to me through this scripture today and was telling me to hold on….help is on the way. When these things do happen…I will be like that little lady and raise my hands praising God all the way.
In the meantime, I will trust and I will serve. No matter how far away God feels…I will know that He is near. I will life my hands to believe again….this is the song that will play at the end of this blog. He is ever faithful. If you are in a funk (and all of us go through it)…let me encourage you to raise your hands to believe again. Let me encourage you to be like the lady with the bent back and find your way to hear Jesus speak and let me encourage you that when he does call you forward you, like she, will come forward. Little did that lady know 2000 years later she would encourage a woman in Florida.
