Jesus Meets the Need

“In the synagogue there was a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Let us alone! What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm. And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, “What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out.” And the report about Him was spreading into every locality in the surrounding district.
Then He got up and left the synagogue, and entered Simon’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him to help her. And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately got up and waited on them.”
Luke 4:33-39

I love this sequence of events in Luke chapter 4. Jesus is teaching in the synagogue when a man who was possessed by an unclean spirit starts yelling at him, crying out, “Let us alone!” “I know who You are – the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebukes him and commands the spirit to come out of him. The demon threw the man down in the midst of the people as he came out of him, and the crowd is overcome by utter amazement.

In the very next verse, Jesus leaves the synagogue and enters Simon’s home where his mother-in-law is sick with a fever. Jesus rebukes the fever and commands it to leave her, and just like the demon moments earlier, it does. I can’t think of any two more contrasting scenarios than these: a dramatic exorcism in a public crowd, and the quiet healing of a fever in someone’s private home.

That evening, as the sun was setting, all sorts of people were brought to Jesus. They were sick with various diseases, and many also demon possessed. We are told no matter what their ailment was, the touch of His hand healed every last one. (Luke 4:40-41)

The same is still true for us today. No matter what you are facing or what need you have, Jesus’s healing touch is the cure. He is the only one that can truly satisfy our weary hearts. Whether you are sad, lonely, bitter, angry, discouraged – you can bring your burdens to Him and place them in His mighty and capable hands.

If you are aching with sorrow, “in His presence there is fullness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11)

If you are missing the love of a parent, He offers a peace that can quiet your soul like a weaned child with its mother. (Psalm 131:2) He is a father to the fatherless, and a defender of widows. (Psalm 68:5)

If you are longing for the love of a spouse, “your Maker is your husband” (Isaiah 54:5), and “as a groom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:5).

Jesus is our provider, sustainer, healer, and Comforter. Ephesians 2:14 says He himself is our peace. He is our joy, our strength, our victory, and our song. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24).

God is faithful to meet our earthly needs; As it is famously said, “earth has no sorrow than heaven can’t heal.” But an important reminder that we would do well not to forget is the fact that our greatest need has already been met by the love of God in Christ Jesus. I used to work with a doctor who would constantly remind everyone in the clinic, “Our greatest need has already been met. Everything else is a detail.” How true this is for those whose sins have been completely washed away.

Because of the sacrifice of Christ, we can enjoy intimate fellowship with God, having good standing and a right relationship with God our Creator. We, who were formerly cut off and alienated from God, have been reconciled by the provision of Jesus Christ. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) If God never met another need of ours as long as lived, this good news of the Gospel alone would be enough. We should never neglect to bring our burdens daily to God but let us also never forget our greatest need has already been met.