"And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. 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." [Lk 13:11-13]
During Jesus’ ministry He encountered a woman who was “a daughter of Abraham,” and regarding whom, “satan hath bound…eighteen years…” [Lk 13:16] For eighteen long years this woman was bound by “a spirit of infirmity,” or weakness. She “was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.” There was nothing this woman could do for herself: she was utterly taken captive by satan, and as satan is accustomed to doing to those over whom he has power, she was tormented with a certain sickness. But God. But The LORD loved this woman, and though it was the sabbath day – a fact which the Pharisees would bring up “with indignation, [saying]…there are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day,” [Lk 13:14] – yes, despite the sabbath day and despite those cruel hypocrites, Jesus
“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.” [Lk 13:12-13]
Notice how “[she] could in no wise lift up herself.” It is very similar to the dismal condition each of us were also in, before Jesus came and saved us. For it is written, “when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” [Rom 5:6] Yes, and, “when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.” [Rom 5:10] It was not when we were pretty and proper that we were saved from the clutch of hell and the edge of death; no, but it was when we were in our deepest unbelief and sin, completely unable to save ourselves. For, “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” [Rom 5:8] And while this woman was bent and crooked and nothing more to the religious elites other than a means to an end, Christ Jesus saw her, loved her, and healed her.
And as it was in our salvation, so it will be too in our continuing journey of faith. There will be times in our walk with Christ where we will be very much like the woman: unable to lift ourselves up. We shall fall deep into a pit of despair; or perhaps we will fall to temptation; or we shall fall in a trial – no doubt, we will have times of failure and falling. But as Jesus Christ died upon the cross, emptying Himself of blood for our sinful sakes, with joy in His heart for the love He had and still has for us, so too even presently Jesus Christ will save us and help us. When we have fallen and are too sorrowful, or to weak, or too apathetic to lift ourselves up; when we, like the woman, “could in no wise lift up herself,” Jesus Christ will reach down and pull us up. For it is written,
“The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.” [Psa 145:14]
And again,
“The LORD raiseth them [up] that are bowed down…” [Psa 146:8]
So then, may we praise and thank God for the riches of grace and mercy found in Jesus our Lord. And if you, dear Christian, find yourself today in a strait, unable to lift yourself up; then take heed to the Psalmist who declares to you, “why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou restless within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.” [Psa 42:5]
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