Thought for the Day – 20^th July 2020

Who is a VIP? – Luke 8: 40-48

 “Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.  Just then there came a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged him to come to his house,  for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying. As he went, the crowds pressed in on him. There was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her.  She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her haemorrhage stopped.  Then Jesus asked, ‘Who touched me?’ When all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you.’  But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me.’  When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.  He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.’”

Everyone honoured and looked up to Jairus because he led the synagogue, and so the Jews would have been astounded to see him kneel before Jesus.   In the scriptures we see that the Jews refused to kneel to anyone but God and they believed that they were the ‘chosen ones’, and had a very Pharisaic attitude.  So they would have been amazed when, during his walk with the crowds, Jesus stopped to talk to someone as apparently unimportant as a poor sick woman, who had been excluded from society and even her own family.

It’s easy to think that it’s the ‘upfront’ people in church who are most valuable in God’s eyes.  But this story shows that’s not so.  It isn’t always the leaders God values most.  The long-standing church member sitting at the back of the church, praying down God’s power over the congregation, is of inestimable value in heaven, and we should never forget this.  Our prayers really matter to God no matter who we are!

Prayer:

Please, Lord, keep reminding us that praying is the most important thing we can ever do. Amen.