Psalm 146:8-9 - The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the sojourners; He upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked He brings to ruin.
The psalmist rejoices in the LORD, the God of Israel, and lists the kinds of things that the LORD does. He frees prisoners, gives sight to the blind, lifts up those who are bowed down and watches over the righteous and sojourners. He upholds widows and the fatherless. Since God does all of this, we should not be surprised to see that when our Lord Jesus lived on earth, He did the same things. Jesus' miracles of power and compassion testified to His identity, proving that He was exactly who He claimed to be-the Son of God and the Messiah of Israel. Jesus did what God does because He was and is God in human flesh.
Jesus restored the sight of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, and many others. The Son of God healed a woman bowed down with a disabling spirit, one "whom Satan bound for eighteen years" (Luke 13:16b). Jesus helped sojourners, those who were not of Israel, like a Roman centurion and a Canaanite woman. Jesus met a widow of Nain on her way to the cemetery and raised her dead son to life. A prisoner was released, a murderer and rebel named Barabbas, who was chosen over Jesus to be set free. Jesus did all of this and much more. According to the prophets, these are things that the Messiah would do when He lived on earth. When the Son of God came to earth, He would bear our griefs and carry our sorrows, and that is what Jesus did.
For the sake of our salvation, Jesus took onto Himself those things from which He freed others. He was a sojourner among us. The prisoner Barabbas was set free, and Jesus was sentenced to death. The Lord who gave sight to the blind was blindfolded, beaten, and mocked by soldiers. Jesus freed a woman who was bent over by her infirmity, but He bowed down beneath the burden of His cross. As He hung dying, the Lord provided for the care of His own widowed mother.
The Lord still does what the psalmist said He would do. Jesus endured the grief and pain of the cross to set us free from sin, guilt, and shame. He opens our eyes to see and believe with the clear sight of faith. When we are bowed down with worry and fear, He lifts us up and fills us with His peace. Those who are alone are welcomed into the community of faith. This is what the Lord, the Son of God, did during His earthly ministry. These are the things that He still does today, and "with His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5b).
WE PRAY: Jesus, You have healed us. Help us to bring Your healing to others. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions:
1. How did Jesus' ministry on earth mirror the various works of God given by the psalmist?
2. Can you give examples of things Jesus did for others that are not mentioned in today's devotion?
3. What qualities or attributes about Jesus do you like to emphasize in your spiritual conversations?
Today's Bible Readings: Jeremiah 34, 37-38 Hebrews 10:1-18
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