The Story of the Bent-Over Woman

Image by James Tissot (Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

The following is based off of Luke 13:10-13. It is a fictionalized version of what I imagined might have happened at that time. It is not intended to be scriptural fact, but only to draw you into the emotions, and experiences that this woman may have gone through.  -MW

As the sun slowly crept closer to the horizon, she hurriedly finished up the last of the household chores. It would soon be the Sabbath and she needed time to change into her best clothing. The challah had been baked, the table covered with the traditional white cloth, the goblet and candlesticks were out. It was harder now that her daughter was gone. Sarah was observing Sabbath with her own family now. But her husband was there. He understood her need for extra help.

It had been 18 years since she first felt it in her back. A pain so debilitating the only relief was to bend over. And now she could no longer straighten. She still felt pain from time to time, but she was used to it now. It was her neck that was the worst. She stopped trying to look up at people. And she got used to the view of her feet. And other people’s feet. People had ugly, dirty feet. She could always tell who someone was and where they had been without even looking up.

She entered the bedroom well before her husband. It always took her longer to change than he. And she insisted on doing things herself.

As the sun finally set, they gathered at the table. She lit the two candles in the candlesticks, and shielding her eyes from the flickering flames, she recited the prayer of blessing on the family, thus ushering in the Sabbath. Her husband said a blessing and then they began to take the first Sabbath meal. Their conversation was lighthearted and easy, but then her husband began to talk of a newcomer in town. This is not unusual to her. Japhopolis was a busy city. Nestled between the slopes of Mt. Gilboa and the fertile valley along the Jordan River, it is one of the many places travelers would stop before continuing on to Jerusalem.

“But this man is different,” her husband insisted. “He is a great teacher and healer and has been speaking at the synagogue for a couple of days now. He will probably be there tonight and tomorrow.”

She could see the light in her husband’s eyes. They had been to many doctors and healers, but none could help. She had given up hope long ago. She had even forgotten what it was like before. This was her posture now…bent over, looking down, with her view always of the ground, never being able to see anything higher than waist high without a struggle. There were so many things she missed out on because of this. Even now, sitting at the table eating with her husband, it caused her pain to try and look up at him. And she had to have her meal on a tray in her lap.

Her husband was a good man. He stayed with her even after her disability manifested itself, even after their daughter married and went to live with her new husband and it was just the two of them. But she had been this way for 18 years. She held no hope for a miracle.

The next day began bright and early with the morning service. As she and her husband made their way through the streets to the synagogue, there was an excitement in the air among the larger than normal crowd. They entered the synagogue and her husband went on to the men’s section and she to the women’s. She found her usual place to sit, among her friends and acquaintances and they began to catch up with each other about the events of the week.

Then from the back of the room there came a silence that flowed to the front like a gentle wave. Her friend leaned over and whispered in her ear,
“He’s here.”
“Who’s here?” she whispered back.

“Jesus.”

All eyes turned to look. She tried to shift her position so she could see. There was a heightened sense of expectation in the air. The leader of the synagogue asked Jesus a question, and He began to speak. And as He spoke everyone sat transfixed, listening intently, amazed at His teaching. She had never heard anyone speak as He did. He spoke with such authority, passion, and sincerity, as she sat listening she couldn’t help but believe all that He was saying.

She was good at listening. She learned to listen with her ears very well. Since she couldn’t always look people in the eyes when they spoke, she could catch intonations and inflections in their speech. She could tell when they spoke with emotion and sincerity, with judgement, or compassion, with falsehood, or truth. She would often hear such judgement, insincerity, and falsehood from others when they spoke. But not from this man. This man was speaking anything but.

Then suddenly, He was speaking to her.

She knew He was speaking to her. She could feel it in her spirit…in her soul.
“Woman. Come over here.”
There were gasps from the women’s section and objections from the men’s. Women were not allowed on the men’s side! Ever.
“It’s alright. Come here.”
He spoke with such gentleness. Such authority.
She didn’t know what to do! Years of teaching and religious practice were paralyzing her right where she was. She didn’t dare move. But something in her heart knew that if she did not follow His voice, His beckoning, she would miss something miraculous. And so, with her heart hammering in her chest, she slowly rose from her seat. Her friends began reaching for her to pull her down.
“You can’t! We aren’t allowed!”
She managed to brush them off and started to make her way across the room.
She could hear the objections, the judgements and murmurs from both sides. Fear threatened her every step, but she made it across without pause, and stopped in front of Jesus’ feet.

He had beautiful feet.

In the kindest voice she had ever heard, He said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And He laid His hands on her back.

Heat suddenly flared in the lower part of her back and quickly spread up along her spine and seemed to shoot straight out of the top of her head! And as it did so, she immediately was made straight! She was standing up! Straight! There were gasps and shouts all around the room.

Feelings and emotions shot through her. What just happened? With astonishment she knew was showing on her face, she looked at Jesus…looked straight into His eyes.

Oh, what she saw there!

Joy. Love. Peace.

She began glorifying and praising God with all her voice! She began jumping up and down, bending her back this way and that with joy shining bright in her eyes!

Looking across the room, she found her husband, his gaze fixed intently on her, tears glistening in his eyes, and the biggest grin on his face.

Oh, the elation in her heart! He was right! Her husband was right. He had faith when she had none. He had hope when she had none. Today they would celebrate this miracle of Jesus! This news would spread, and she would give all the glory to God!

And what of you friend? Is God calling out to you? Is He beckoning you…calling you to something greater? Or are your eyes always on the ground, never looking up. Never seeing anything higher. The Kingdom work is being done all around us and we are being called in to it. But do we have eyes to see it and ears to hear it?

Are you fulfilling your purpose in the Kingdom of God?  What is keeping you from reaching your full potential in the Kingdom? Are you willing to allow God to do whatever He needs to do in order for you to walk upright?

How are you postured? Is there anything disabling you? What is keeping you from crossing over to Jesus? What is keeping you from stepping out? Fear? Judgement from others? Religious practice?

Don’t let it paralyze you.

Don’t let it keep you from experiencing something miraculous!