...be untied...

“10 Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” 13 When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. 14 But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it to water? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day?” 17 When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame, and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things being done by him.

18 He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”

20 And again he said, “To what should I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened” Luke 13:10-21.

I like to apply the stories of the bible to myself and to my life. For example, I am reminded today that am also bent double in my life at times, unable to stand up to the demands and commands of God, even though His demands and commands are always all life-giving to me. I am also in need of Jesus untying me from my sinful choices. I need the liberation in my life that only Jesus can give me, so I try to pray every day and be aware of His presence — and be in His presence — at all times.

Take time today and consider prayerfully the ways in which you are tied up in your life and how Jesus can untie you and liberate you. Take some time in prayer today and open the Scriptures and think about what God is saying to you in these Scriptures to liberate you as well.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.

From the Bible:

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” Genesis 1:27.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16.

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality” 1 Corinthians 6:9.