If all you see is what you see then you may not see what needs to be seen.
~Tony Evans
That one little sentence is powerful to me. Just keep re-reading it. Most all of us are tunnel visioned. We see what we want to see with life.
In Luke 13:10-17 The Bible talks about a lady that was not able to stand up for 18 years. Can you imagine? Only seeing the ground for that long? She had a curve in her back that prevented her from standing. Even though she had this disability it did not stop her from worshiping God for 18 years. Most all of us would have found that to be a good reason to not go to church. To not surround ourselves with Godly people. It would be a good excuse to not go. BUT the woman didn't let it stop her.
In verse 12-13 it says, "And when Jesus saw her he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God."
Even though she was bound for 18 years, she STILL glorified God when he made her straight. She didn't dwell on the past and ask him Why..... Had she of stayed home from church that day she would not have met Him. She would not have been healed. How many times have we let worldly things get in our way of meeting God? Maybe we're tired, got a runny nose, head ache, don't feel good, etc. and it becomes easier and easier to let those things interfere with our walk with the Lord. They become our excuse to miss this Sunday night, and then next Sunday night.... and then next Wednesday, and before you know it you miss all the time.
Did you also know that the Bible talks about hypocrites? Sure does. After the preacher of the synagogue got mad with Jesus for "interrupting" HIS (the service is NEVER the preachers.... it is always him glorifying God and every service is God's service) service in verses 15-16. Jesus says,
"The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?"
WOW! There were hypocrites in Jesus' time. How about that? For some reason people put a standard on hypocrites at church, but not in K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Target, the movies, ball games, grocery store, etc. People use this excuse to not come to church. Maybe they are afraid of conviction and hypocrites is their excuse?
We worry, worry, worry about things that don't even matter. Why not give it to God? Too often we lay our worries down at the alter, but then take them back with us when we walk back to our seats. When God touched the woman she glorified him. She did NOT dwell on the past 18 years.
Verse 17 says, "And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him".
The people rejoiced and praised Him. Despite what the guy said in verse 14. When Jesus preached, spoke, & healed the woman, the people praised him.
**Let's put all of our excuses away and give God the attention and glory that He so very much deserves.**
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