“So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed” – (John 8:36).
Encountering knots is part of life. There are knots of gift parcels we find to be loosened once such is received. There are knots tied around poles while building to prevent them from collapsing. Knots can be used to contain and hold things, including treasures like money parcels. When certain domestic animals are taken to the field, like goats, there are tied up with knots.
Sometimes there can be a knot around a life too. Once while Jesus was up and about he came across a woman who had been bound with one knot. “On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the Synagogues and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all” (Luke 13: 10-12). Once Jesus looked at her, there he knew there was a knot binding this woman down.
“When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God” ( vv 13). The story here is that probably no one had been noticing this woman though it looks as though she had been a regular to the Synagogue. More so, neither she nor the leaders were aware of the spirit of Satan that was holding her in captivity. In fact the synagogue leaders were more concerned with their decorum of keeping the Sabbath holy than healing this woman of her pressing condition. They were quite mad with Jesus for healing her on a Sabbath.
But the woman had met Jesus, and her condition didn’t allow her to care for such niceties. Neither did Jesus. He rebuked the synagogue leader, “You hypocrites … should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound long for eighteen years, be set free on a Sabbath day from what bound her?” (vv 16).
In life we too could be held by a knot, just as that woman. It could be a knot around our finances. It might be a knot around our health. There could be a knot around our job situation. Or we could be faced with a knot of a hardened relationship. Whatever is the case let us like these women take this knot to Jesus.
The power that came out of Jesus and delivered this woman from such an ugly knot pressing her down is the same power that will deliver any knot tying us down!
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I bring to you that knot in my life holding me down, that with your power I am freed, to experience a victorious life in you, this I pray in Jesus’s name.
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03/05/2024 - 04/05/2024 All day“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10)
Every now and then one could be gripped with fear because of certain events sweeping before one’s life journey. It could be the finances that are stretched and incomes are no longer certain. Perhaps it is one’s job under threat. Perhaps it is a dreaded health report card. There could be fear about outcome of a matter under judgment and what it might mean to one’s future.
Fear has been elsewhere described as “an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm.” Every life will experience fear at one point. Whenever we are faced with fear it is natural to look for something to grasp on. Sometimes we run for shelter wherever we can find. Perhaps we might seek out a friend for quiet confidence.
But there are those situations when there is no shelter in sight. There are also those cases where those we thought would understand our situation once we share our pain return only hurting and critical feedback. In such moments we might then turn and look within ourselves only to find the energy has all been sapped by this gnawing fear. We feel down and the urge to rise and move on all gone!
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10) the word of God through prophet Isaiah assures us. But why? It is because the Lord has been there. He himself was faced with fear before his crucifixion but He looked to God.
Charles Spurgeon once wrote when faced with fear always remember, “Nothing is too hard for Him. He can find a way where there is no way. He can give us the idea that will make all the difference.” Psalm 91:2, says, “I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” So, when faced with fear, look to God to strengthen you. By looking to Him, the Lord will encourage and lift up your spirit, and make a way out of nowhere!
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I surrender to you any fear that is in me for I know by looking up to you, you will always make a way out of nowhere, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
