We should show our gratitude to Jesus for all he has done for us
The Bible records many things Jesus did when he was here on earth. A reoccurring action is Jesus healing people from their physical and spiritual maladies.
Matthew 8 records several of these instances, and we will focus on one of them: Peter’s mother-in-law.
Jesus goes to Peter’s house; his mother-in-law is sick in bed with a fever. (Note the reference to Peter’s mother-in-law. This tells us Peter was married.)
Though we may not think too much about a fever today, this illness was bad enough to keep this woman in bed.
She wasn’t merely resting, waiting to get better. She was incapacitated and not able to do anything. The situation was serious.
Jesus walks up to the bed and touches her hand. When he does her fever leaves her body. The next phrase is curious. It says she gets up to wait on him.
The cynic might say that Jesus healed her with selfish intentions, that he made her well only so she could take care of him, likely preparing some food for him to eat.
Though this is a humorous thought and one many women likely nod their head in agreement with and might make men snicker, this misses the point.
Peter’s Mother-in-Law Responds to Jesus
Instead, I see Peter’s mother-in-law taking care of Jesus as a response to show her gratitude to him for what he did to make her better. Her example is one for us to follow.
Jesus has done so much for us. What do we do to show our gratitude to him?
It’s too easy for us to move from day-to-day and take Jesus’s work in our lives for granted, to not bother to show him our appreciation.
Jesus saved us, forgave us, and restored us to right relationship with his father. Plus, Jesus loves us, teaches us about God, and shows us how to live.
For all Jesus has done, what should our response be? What can we do to show Jesus how much we appreciate him?
Perhaps we should live for him.
[Read through the Bible this year. Today’s reading is Matthew 8-10, and today’s post is on Matthew 8:14-15.]
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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