Right after healing a man in the synagogue, Jesus and his disciples went to Simon and Andrew's house. As soon as he heard that Simon's mother-in-law was ill, he healed her, too.
I find interesting several things. One is we are given no indication that those needing healing asked Jesus to do so. Another is that we are not told that Simon's m-i-l had faith in Jesus' power to heal her. Also, interesting to me is her response. As soon as she is healed, she gets up and serves them a meal (my interpretation of "waited on them").
The word spreads. The whole town shows up including all who are ill or possessed.
Once again, Jesus won't let the demons speak because they know who he is.
Questions that linger: Do they have faith or knowledge in Jesus other than his ability to heal?
Application for our time:
The Global Health Initiative is a major area of focus for the ministry of The United Methodist Church,which aims to combat diseases of poverty such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis as well as provide health education, advocacy and infrastructure. We have long been a key player in the fight against malaria through the hospitals, clinics and missions centers we have operated across Africa for more than 160 years.
To read more about the history of Methodist efforts to promote healing and a current example of what the church is doing now see UMC: How We Serve Global Health
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