#11 – Un-named recipients of God’s love – May 16, 2024

                Mark 9:23, Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

                How many times have we been asked to pray for someone, but we don’t even know their name?  How many times have we stated, “It doesn’t matter because God knows who they are”?  How many times have we prayed for someone and, in the middle of our prayer, we forget their name?

                That’s happened to me several times.  But…it doesn’t really matter, because God does know. 

Last Sunday our pastor spoke to us on Matthew 15:21-31 about the woman of Canaan that came to Jesus and asked Him to heal her daughter who she thought was demon possessed.   She was considered a Gentile and Jesus, being a Jew, ignored her at first.  Her persistence and faith that He could indeed heal her daughter, made no difference to her what His nationality was.  She not only believed He could help her, but she begged for His mercy and came and worshipped Him. 

                Jesus finally answered her, “Oh woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.”  Her daughter was healed within the hour.  But…who was she?

In October 2015 I wrote about the woman who, for 12 years, suffered with a terrible and embarrassing problem of blood flow. She had gone to so many physicians and spent all she had in an effort to find a treatment. But instead of getting better, she continued to get worse.

                When she heard about Jesus coming to Capernaum, she wasted no time in gathering up what she needed and made the trip, some 30 miles away.  Her thought, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well”, Mark 5:28.  She quietly came up behind Him and touched the hem of His garment and she was immediately healed.  But…who was she?

                In Matthew 8:5-13 we read about the Centurion who approached Jesus and asked him to heal his servant who was paralyzed and tormented.  After talking with the Centurion Jesus replied, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”  The Centurions servant was healed that same hour.  But…who was this Centurion?

                John 5:1-15 tells of the paralytic man by the pool in Jerusalem.  This man was afflicted by this infirmity for 38 years.  This pool supposedly had healing powers when an angel came and stirred up the water.  To be healed, a person had to be first to enter the pool after the angel stirred it up.

Jesus met this man as He walked by and simply asked him, “Do you want to be made well?”  The man answered that he did, but everyone always beat him to the pool and he had no one that would help him in.  Then Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”  Immediately the man was made well.  But…who was this man?

                Let’s go to John 8:2-11 where we find Jesus teaching in the temple.  The Scribes and Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery and demanded that she should be stoned according to the Law of Moses.  They asked Jesus, “But what do You say”?  Jesus, pretending not to hear them, stooped down to write something in the ground.  Eventually he said to the crowd, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”

                Because of the conviction of their conscience, everyone began to leave and only Jesus and the woman were left there in the temple.  He asked her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”  She replied, “No one, Lord.”  And He replied, “Neither do I condemn you”.  He didn’t condemn her, but He did not condone what she did.  He simply told her to go, and sin no more.  But…who was this woman?

                There’s the story of the woman at the well in John 4:1-42, and the paralyzed man who was lowered through the roof of a house to receive healing from Jesus in Luke 5:19-39. Reading through the Scriptures, you’ll find many more recipients of Jesus’ love and compassion.  But…who were these people?

                We don’t know…but Jesus did.  You see, He didn’t need their names and we don’t need to know either.  Each one of those un-named people was un-named for a reason.

At first I was disappointed that all these people’s name was never mentioned. Now I’m glad. It simply lets us know that any of those un-named people could be an example for us. No matter what we’ve done, or how bad things can get for us, there is always hope that things will get better…if we wait for His perfect timing in what He does for us and for the ones we love.

                Hebrews 4:16, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Nancy Stoppe                      Stoppe123@comcast.net