Matthew 8:14-17

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14 When Jesus came into Peter's home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him. 16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were ill,. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: ``HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.''

AGAIN the touch of Jesus, just as with touching the untouchable leper, Jesus' touch is powerful, therapeutic and miraculous! The immediacy of its effect is most always there. NOTE that as soon as she was whole again, her immediate response was to serve Him. Do you remember when you first believed and couldn't do enough? Now that you're older and more spiritual "mature", that initial excitement seems to have faded into a little callousness and maybe, at times, has transitioned into being a little cynical about life and now a spectator, not "waiting" on Jesus as Peter's mother-in-law's response? Also NOTE how the word spread, by word of mouth! Not a newspaper add or a door-knob hangers. Word spread by people sharing what they had seen and heard. The best "promotion" is "attraction" to other people sharing their experience, strength and hope.

NOTE the family dimension here. I love it! All of us who are believers are brothers and sisters, we know, but this has a little more down-to-earthness about it. Peter, Jesus' spiritual brother, becomes like a blood brother through the compassion expressed by Jesus toward other family members. We enjoy this so much. We feel like family to so many people out there and therefore feel empathy toward all of the family members in the bunch. I think of the Feenstra/Kellenger clan, Hahns, Sanders, Buskeys, Page, Teran, Ramynke, Thornbro, Nassaney, Peykoff, Calhoun, Klopfensteins, Kurjans, Kucheras and the Kegel's, just to mention a few. I love it!

One more thing about "the touch". This paragraph demonstrates how God used the differing personalities to write the Gospels. Mark, who in his Gospel presented Jesus as the Messiah-the Servant, said the Jesus "helped or assisted" Peter's mother-in-law. Luke, the physician presenting Jesus as Messiah-the Son of Man in all of His humanity, said the Jesus "cured" her. And here, Matthew presents Jesus as Messiah-the King, says that Jesus "touched" her as the touch of the King.

WDJD? What Did Jesus Do? is most important to know in your life. WWJD? What Would Jesus Do? The question is really the answer! Then, you can move into WWYD? What Will You Do? to be and do like Jesus in the world around you today? He wants you and me to be family in as many relationships as we can to reach out and touch those family members who are sick to bring them back on track. WWYD?