– Scripture:
One day in one of the villages there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus he fell down before him in prayer and said, “If you want to, you can cleanse me.” Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, “I want to. Be clean.” Then and there his skin was smooth, the leprosy gone. Jesus instructed him, “Don’t talk about this all over town. Just quietly present your healed self to the priest, along with the offering ordered by Moses. Your cleansed and obedient life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done.” But the man couldn’t keep it to himself, and the word got out. Soon a large crowd of people had gathered to listen and be healed of their ailments. As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer.
Luke 5:1-16 MSG
– Reflection:
Dare to Say No
When Jesus was on earth, everywhere He went people would come up and say, “Will You heal my child? Please come to my town. Teach us about Your kingdom. Show us a sign.” As the Son of God, He was anointed with power and went about doing good and healing, yet He knew His limits. He knew when He had to take time to replenish, so He often withdrew to pray and be refreshed in His Father’s presence.
Where do we go from here?
It’s important to recognize our limits. Are you feeling burnt out, overextended, or neglecting your main priorities? Remember, you have control over your schedule. Avoid taking on commitments that you know will negatively impact your health. Continuously adding to your schedule without taking breaks will only deplete your energy. It’s essential to be selective about what you commit to and perhaps even eliminate some good things in order to maintain your health. This isn’t about being selfish; it’s about finding balance. Are there any obligations you need to decline?
Our Prayer for Today
“Father, thank you that Jesus constantly went about doing good and healing, yet He knew His limits. We want to have His heart and to always be ready to give and help others, but help us to know our limits. Give us the courage to say no to commitments that cause us to live out of balance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”