Ephesians 4:32 - 5:8 / Luke 13:10-17
If we had seen someone when he was a little baby and then the next time we saw him was when he was 18 years old, we would be amazed at his growth and development.
We will be amazed at how much can happen during the period of 18 years.
We may even say that 18 years just passed by just like that and that baby has become a fine young man.
But for the enfeebled and double bent woman in the gospel, 18 years did not pass by just like that.
And things did not get better along the years; in fact it may have gotten worse and worse with each passing year.
It may not be the story of just that woman in the gospel.
We too may have been bent with pain - physical, emotional, spiritual. We feel burdened and hence we too are unable to stand firm and upright.
Jesus came to lift us up from the pains and burdens of life so that we can raise our minds and hearts in thanksgiving to God.
Physically, we may stand upright, but emotionally and spiritually, we may be double bent and the only thing that we can see is the dirt and the sludge on the ground.
Let us ask Jesus to heal us and lift us up. He will do for us what He did for the woman in the gospel because He is our Healer and Saviour.
We don't have to wait another 18 years. We don't want to suffer that long. Nor does Jesus want to see us suffer for that long either.