a daughter of Abraham

"Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him." Luke 13:10-17

Observations regarding the passage:
1) The synagogue ruler didn't care that a fellow congregate was suffering. Not only did this woman suffer physically from a chronic condition but her condition most likely made her a social outcast as well  leading to another dimension to her suffering. That Jesus removed her suffering meant nothing to the supposed rule "law" followers because they were so desensitized to the suffering of others. "Let her be healed some other day" that's the speech of someone extremely calloused to the suffering of other people. If you were suffering would you want to wait for another day to be healed? Today is the day, that's Jesus' way.

2) When I first read this section of scripture I was greatly disturbed for it says "Satan had kept her bound for 18 years" but if we think through what we know of God's sovereignty and omniscience, it was God who allowed Satan to bind her all that time. God may not have caused her suffering but He allowed it and allowed it to go on for almost 20 years. I was deeply troubled for some time.
But then I read it again and the words "She glorified God" popped out at me. It might be that she wouldn't be a daughter of Abraham if she hadn't suffered this affliction. If it came to the choice of a straight spine during life on earth but with no thoughts of God or a crooked back for 20+ years leading to trust in God and an eternity in the bosom of Abraham, I hope we know what we'd rather have.

3) She went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. It doesn't say of this was her regular practice or if she was drawn to the synagogue just this once because she had heard Jesus was there. But she went. It's a great lesson about not putting off attendance at church or resisting the command to gather with fellow believers. We need others and they need us.

Prayer: God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - who is God our Father - I am a Daughter of Abraham because of the finished work of your Son Jesus. I share in the eternal inheritance you have promised all your children. If it comes to a choice between my will and my dreams with an eternity apart from you OR trust in your will, filled with temporary sufferings and personal costs, with an eternity as your daughter - I ask you to help me make the righteous and wise choice. Give us spiritual eyes that look beyond this temporary fading world. Let us gather together and relieve the suffering of those around us today. Amen.