All from a Baggie

What a THRILL to teach Children's Sunday school today! I have the miracles of Jesus all in a baggie, and each week a child chooses one out of the bag to be our lesson. So it is a surprise to me also. A fresh word from the Bible for the student/s and also for me! Today the healing of the Crippled Woman was chosen. Luke 13: 10-17. Fun as we walked around the room all humped over trying to imagine how awkward and sad it would be to have had that condition for 18 years, like the Bible says. Then I had cardboard people which we used to act out the miracle. We had a man figure that was JESUS, and a woman figure (which we bent over with our hands) to be the crippled woman. We took turns re-telling the miracle story. Amazing how the woman went to Church crippled and went home HEALED. We talked about how Jesus SAW her and called her forward. Most of the time when a teacher tells you "Come up here"....it is not for something good. But Jesus had something WONDERFUL planned for this woman. I love how Jesus spoke to her his intentions, and then touched her. So glad that JESUS is a touchy kind of God who does not stand back from us, but loves to touch us, love on us, let us know that HE is with us. Her reaction to His touch of healing, was to praise God. [There is a whole sermon in that statement alone!] I said: "Do you think everyone in the church was happy that this woman was healed and could stand up straight?" YES, was the reply. But then we read verse 14. Not everyone was happy! But when Jesus tells the man he should be ashamed of himself. Jesus had healed a person on the Sabbath which the Accuser had considered "work" on the sabbath. Jesus pointed out that he had untied his donkey that morning and led it out to water. Was THAT not work on the sabbath? A Donkey needing water and a woman needing the ability to stand straight were both needed today! AND all the people understood and left REJOICING. Sounds like that was one powerful Church service when Jesus was teaching, stopped and healed someone in need. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> TONIGHT in our Church service, a lady was feeling terribly sick, and made it known to Pastor. He stopped, went back to her, Gentely touched her and prayed for her.........and she begin to feel FINE once again. Thank You Lord, that YOU STILL hear and answer prayer. That You Still minister to the needs of Your people. May we never be too involved in our lesson, our plan, our life.....to miss the needs of people...one precious soul at a time.