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Read Mark 1:29-34
Mark 1:29-31 KJV
And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. [30] But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.
And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
Jesus came into this world for everybody. Jesus came to save all sinners. But sometimes the knowledge of this general role of Jesus can mean very little to you when you do not see how it narrows down or applies to you in your seeming peculiar situation. Today, we see in this Scripture above that Jesus was interested in lifting up Simon’s wife’s mother, and he did so He could free her to serve.
We can therefore understand that Jesus has a special place in his heart to give a lift especially to experienced women who have become hesitant to serve anyone anymore possibly because they may have become disappointed in the poor or evil returns they may have reaped from pouring so much of themselves and resources into others some time before. Mothers, for instance, give out so much. They put their lives and so much more on the hold to see their little ones rise and their loved ones move forward in life. Sometimes, they do it so hard that they forget to take care of their own selves. And that’s when their own retardation and sickness sets in. Failing to take good care of yourself and supervise your personal prosperity while you take care of others is a recipe for great disaster, not only for yourself, but also for the people whom you love. Your own sickness sets in the moment you try to love others more than you have ever loved your own self by receiving God’s love for you. You start getting sick of serving others when you have not allowed God to serve you with those same things you have been trying to give to others. You can’t give what you don’t have. When you give what you don’thave, you only do so by stealing from yourself, and stealing from yourself is fighting against or sinning against your own body. You can only get sick by doing that! And this is why many get sick. Your reception from God must be equal to or more than how much emotional love or any other resource you give to others. This is the secret to health and healing!
Peter's wife’s mother was sick. Her sickness must have been worsening the conditions at home. Her sickness must have been driving Peter's wife crazy, as she may have had to be struggling with taking care of her sick mother, her husband Peter, their home and possibly the children. Peter’s wife may have possibly needed her mother’s extra hands to help with the keeping of the home so she would not be burnt out. Peter’s wife's liberation must have been so needed as it was to play a huge role in relieving the frustrations of Peter's failing trade( a fisherman who was struggling to catch fishes at sea, and who was to forthwith start catching men as a disciple of Jesus). A lot more was going to depend on Peter’s wife, and she needed the teamwork with her mother or perhaps other sisters ever so badly.
You see, Jesus knows very well about the things we need. If women were to allow Jesus to work in them, the one thing He would heal them of is the sickness that prevents them from serving others, especially other women! When Jesus healed Peter's wife’s mother, what did she rise up and start doing? Immediately the fever left her, she began to serve them in the house. Someone would ask, but where was Peter's wife? Couldn’t she have been helping to prepare or serve the meals? Well, possible her hands were tied up with cleaning the floor of the vomit her mother had just thrown up. Or perhaps, she was busy carrying the little children who were crying and messing up the whole place.
Prayer: Dear Lord, please free to serve You and others in Jesus name. Amen.
Anastasia Bruce
Footstool Colour
