Healing Declared: A SOAP Study on Luke 13:10-17

May 17, 2025August 26, 20251 Comment

**New excerpt from Juju’s book…**

In Luke 13:10-17, Jesus is teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath when he notices a woman with a disabling spirit. As she totters through the temple gates, Jesus calls the woman over, confirms her restoration, and heals her condition. No longer crooked, she glorifies God and prompts Jesus to criticize the religious leaders for their lack of compassion.

Digging into this summary, we find meaningful implications, especially where sickness and infirmity dwell. For starters, we must not deny those around us who are poor in spirit and health, desperate for Jesus in a way that extends past their margins.

As a NICU alum, I can boldly testify to this. Every day during Juju’s life, Lys and I entered a larger-than-life mystery box, a stream of unknowns where anything could happen. From what we experienced, the emotional highways were unending from dead-end hopelessness to confounding crossroads. In each situation, parents, like the crooked woman, were searching for anything their hope could cling to – comfort, healing, answers, you name it!

Yet, as challenging as that season was, the contrast in processing helped us understand the power within the presence of God. While there were moments when we sought the Lord because there was no other way, there were other times we sensed his call and responded accordingly. So, it was with our protagonist in Luke 13, who not only personified what it meant to be in the right place at the right time but saw her affliction as a catalyst for intervention.

Examining the woman’s transformation, we find some notable takeaways, particularly in v. 10-13, during which Jesus orchestrates his miracle:

1. In v. 10, Jesus sees the woman even though he was already teaching in the synagogue.
2. At the start of v. 12, he calls her over instead of continuing with his message.
3. By the end of v. 12, he declares her freedom before healing her disability.

While circumstantial at the surface, we can behold the intentionality within this order when we assess similar healings in the Gospels. Like the bent woman, Jesus repeatedly modeled his heart alongside his power, relating to the context of suffering even before his presence was recognized. This poses a powerful thought:

To the extent our faith activates when we sense God’s presence, it also stirs when we hear His voice. Like gravity, His Word summons the innermost part of our being in a way that compels us to move in his direction.
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No wonder the woman had no issue journeying to Jesus. the joy set before her resonating with the joy set before him.

Upon her arrival, note how Jesus reacts: He doesn’t immediately remove the woman’s iniquity but proclaims her victory! Again, this subtle progression is profound. Though some might question why Jesus would call his shot, the purpose behind his declaration wasn’t to simply highlight his divinity but to deliver salvation while proving his love. Had the purity behind the action lacked, the woman’s response may have reflected differently. But like many before her who battled long-lasting crippling ailments, the outflow of praise rode on the heels of the expectancy. In the end, it was all about Jesus, religious and wishful sentiments be da*rned.

For the griever and/or loved one stuck in the hospital, while our prayers have power and purpose, what we voice as expressions of hope yields the truth of who God is and what he wills from his nature. Ultimately, God is going to finish the good work he started in you (Philippians 1:6) as heaven meets earth in wonder-working fashion (Matthew 6:10). True, we will never have all the answers as to why we must endure in specific ways; however, when we remember how Jesus made space to heal a woman in the middle of a sermon on a day His Father set apart for rest, we can draw encouragement knowing God is always for us, even during the darkest and craziest of days.

Prayer: “Jesus, you told your followers, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, so believe in Me as well. Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives,’ (John 14:1, 27). We confess we need your peace, the peace of God, which transcends all understanding’ (Philippians 4:7) to guard our hearts and minds. We humbly come before you with our weary hearts and pray that you continue to show us fresh levels of love and grace as we go through this season of sorrow and transition. Help us to find peace in your presence. Wipe our tears, Lord, and carry us through this season of mourning and deep sadness. Help us to trust in your unfailing love and to fix our eyes on you, Jesus. As we lift our worries to you, we humbly ask that you lift up our hearts from what may overwhelm us. May your presence bring us joy and comfort as we embark on this journey of healing with you. In your most holy name, we pray. Amen.”

Cover photo creds: Sunflower Seeds

Springs Within You: A SOAP Study on Psalm 85-87

March 8, 2025March 8, 2025Leave a comment

Well, folks. The weather outside is finally changing. You know what that means…

Fire up ‘severe weather mode’ on Flash Weather.
De-winterize the house.
Compose another SOAP Bible study!*

*For those who don’t know, Lys and I are huge fans of this practice having implemented it during our youth pastor tenure. While our time in student ministry is long gone, in recent years, we’ve efforted to tailor these studies towards vocationals as part of our His Girl Fryday initiative; hence, why the legacy lives on.

Today, we’ll examine Psalm 85 and Psalm 87 in the context of Israel’s exile. While these selections may seem random at first glance, my hope is you’ll know why I chose these chapters by the end.

As always…

Observations: If you’ve studied the Psalms in detail, you know the book is composed of 150 chapters broken down into sections. With Book 3 (Psalm 73-89) focusing on the tragedy of Israel’s uprooting and downfall of David’s family, one might think the tenor of Psalm 87 is out of place; however, this is partly due to how the sons of Korah¹ constructed their songs. Anticipating transition, Psalm 87 represents a confident foreshadowing, specifically Israel’s restoration and relationship to other nations.

A precursor to Psalm 87, Psalm 85 establishes the following tropes, all essential to our spiritual walk:

God is faithful to bring a foundation to our footsteps, especially during seasons of adversity (Psalm 85:13).
God draws near to those who fear and revere Him, who anticipate His voice and glory to manifest (Psalm 85:9).
God’s love and faithfulness aren’t mutually exclusive as they’re intertwined within the same flow (Psalm 85:10-11).

These realities set the stage for Psalm 87, in which the privileges of God’s people are recognized and celebrated. Although the chapter is relatively short, the song lacks no exclamation given the holy tribute and 3:1 ‘verse-to-selah’ ratio. The general gist is straightforward and simple: As salvation comes forth from Zion, God takes note to what He can foresee.

But perhaps my favorite part of Psalm 87 is the final verse (v. 7): “All my springs and sources of joy are in you.”

While the ‘you’ is a cite to Jerusalem, given the polysemy of the Psalms, one could deduce this refers to something more than the city itself. Again, we must discern the tone and style of the author. For instance, the sons of Korah tended to ask questions they knew the answers to but framed anyway.

Will God do ‘x’? Why, God, do you ‘y’? How long, O Lord, will you ‘z’?

In almost every case, the resolution comes in the conclusion and inspires a modern-day practice. No matter, how dire, how challenging, how impossible a situation might seem, God, in both His Word and Way, is everlasting. Even if we seem far from the promised land we seek, God’s sovereignty is constant and His love is steadfast. Knowing this, the concerns we have should not interrogate God’s nature but inquire how we must journey with Him to see greater character, intimacy, and fruit result.

As for us, there may be an uptick in storms in the weeks and months ahead, literally and figuratively. but spiritually speaking, why not let the word picture of ‘spring’, both the season and water source, refresh our inner man? As Psalm 85:10-11 and Psalm 87:7 encourage us, why not receive the fullness of God’s springs and assess our return flow? After all, every good and perfect gift is from above. All we are or hope to be, all we have or ever hope to have, all we attain or ever hope to attain is from Him. Let the people of God acknowledge this and praise Him for it.

Application:

Prayer: Lord, as the winds of change surround us, we thank you for being at hand. As we worship you in Spirit and Truth today, we’re reminded how grateful we are that you are Lord of all, the God who sustains our help and gives us everything we need for goodness and godliness. No matter what tomorrow holds, we pause now to reflect on your love, your faithfulness, and how we can allow your currents to purify the rhythms in which we believe and operate. To what needs to be surrendered, convict us with grace so we may properly deal with our baggage. To what needs to be received, we ask you to not only revive us to taste you in full but to broaden our capacity to trust your truth in an increasingly compromising world. Help us not be overly discouraged by where abandonments are occurring. Rather scale our faith to see the grander scheme unfolding and how we can partner with you in victory. Give us this day and season as bread so we may feed your sheep as fed. In your holy and precious name. Amen.

Footnotes:

The sons of Korah were Levites, from the family of Kohath. By David’s time, they served in the musical aspect of the temple worship (2 Chronicles 20:19).

Cover graphic creds: Wallpapers.com

A ❤️ of Thanksgiving: Why Gratitude is Best Expressed in Full

November 28, 2024Leave a comment

This Thanksgiving, don’t just express gratitude over what you have but also what you don’t have. Often, we celebrate the providence and faithfulness of God during this time of year; however, are we acknowledging what God has saved us from and/or what He may be withholding to mature us in season?

Some thoughts to consider…

Supporting Bible verses:

Philippians 4:1
“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Jonah 2:9
“But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”

Psalm 103:2-5
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

2 Corinthians 9:10
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.”

Isaiah 9:3
“You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as soldiers rejoice when dividing the plunder.“

Graphic creds: Jacob Abshire

I Am Sam: Sometimes Love is All You Need

November 14, 2024November 14, 2024Leave a comment

Written 9/10/09; revised 11/13/24

Last Saturday, as I waited to board a flight to Seattle, a heartbreaking scene unfolded outside my gate entrance. Taking a last-minute call, my eyes beheld a young boy sobbing profusely as he clenched his father’s jacket. Processing the scene, it wasn’t long before the situation became clear.

The dad, slightly greasy and decorated with tattoos, emanated the type of vibe a father shows when lacking relational depth – his emotional aroma more melancholy than anguish, as if time and circumstances had numbed the grief. Watching tears stream down his son’s face, I couldn’t help but crack. The pure yet raw emotion of the instant captured a snapshot I will never forget.

Moments later, as I searched for a window seat, I saw the boy a few rows in front of me. I heard a flight attendant utter his name, “Sam” with a tender tone. Apparently, she was not only aware of his flying status but also the distress he was in.

Passing Sam by, he appeared stunned, glued to the back of his seat with eyes still bloodshot.

“God, I hate divorce. I hate it, I hate it, hate it,” was all I could internalize.

Overwhelmed by the visual, I pushed my seat back and began to drift.

An hour later, I woke up to find an astonishing sight. Cruising by the aisles was Sam, who had decided to assist one of the flight attendants in serving snacks to the rest of the passengers. Once subdued, Sam’s demeanor had completely transformed. Perhaps he was reminded of something positive or received an encouraging word. Whatever the case, Sam’s rapid conversion was nothing short of inspiring.

Sensing Jesus in the moment, my perspective started to change. While my disdain for divorce was still fresh in my periphery, I couldn’t help but voice gratitude for how God was using the love of strangers to multiply the sentiment. Often, we simmer when we emotionally attach to the victim of a tragic situation. We consider the sufferer and misappropriate our feet in their shoes assuming our anger is somehow a function of advocacy. But when an innocent child like Sam cheers up in the purest sense, you realize even a great tragedy like divorce pales in the face of what God can do to redeem the hurt of something He hates.

Deplaning the aircraft hours later, I kept a few paces behind Sam walking out of the tunnel. Unlike his boarding, I noted a skip in his step as he scampered to his mother. The real Sam had arrived.

Fast-forward 15 years later, and Sam occasionally pops into my mind, each time a prompt to pray for minors in the middle to become mighty men and women of God. How many little kids struggling with their parent’s divorce think they are the reason their mommy and daddy are no longer together? How many still bear shame because they weren’t taught how to deal with it? While only heaven knows, it’s that Kingdom I want to extend on earth as far as it be with me.

As for the rest of us, whether we’re mentors or bystanders in similar situations, we all have a part in sowing compassion to bridge divides in broken families. Regardless of our role, let’s pursue it with excellence.

God bless you, Sam, for cementing the reminder.

A Time for Sorrow: The Beauty of Lament

September 23, 2024Leave a comment

I don’t have much to say today. Based on this post’s time stamp, you can deduce how sleep…just isn’t easy on September 18. Perhaps rightfully so.

That said, I want to set a friendly reminder to all who believe and profess the name of Jesus to stay intentional in making room for Him. As recent Mercy devos have reminded me, there’s a sweetness in meeting Christ in the incarnation, delighting in His Immanuel presence, and declaring His Hosanna. All day, every day, He’s in the business of being with us, His arm never too short to save and settle what we’re meant to cast upon Him.

For me and the fam, we will be visiting a couple places today to remember Juju in a way that allows lamentation to become celebration. For those wrestling with grief, we must understand both realities have their place and must be entered into with expectancy. When we lament in the Biblical sense, we’re not only emptying ourselves before God in vulnerability but surrendering to His Lordship in confidence.

Applied to the road, think of lamentation as the slow-down before the yield. To drive defensively in this situation, one must prepare the car’s direction by first adjusting the speed necessary for it to align to the proper course. In many ways, this is how we should view the heart when we’re asking God for help, relief, even salvation. When in doubt, slow down, anticipate the yield, and invite God into your space.

Once your inner man is at the right speed, sound out your gratitude and heartache in praise knowing there will be glory after this. To me, this is the beauty of lamentation given it’s almost always the first or second leg in our immediate journey to refreshment and release. Although it’s never a straight line, you can count on it as a bee-line to the Father’s heart of love.

In due time, some media will emerge as snapshots on the wall of a day done well; however, if you’re reading this, you now know the framework, the ‘why’ if you will. Wherever you’re at, whatever you’re going through, understand lamentation is more than the expression of sorrow meets honesty, but a key way we say ‘yes’ to God as we make room for Him. Be encouraged to go and do likewise.

Selah.