Luke tells us of a woman who had been bent over for eighteen long years. She couldn’t stand up straight. She couldn’t lift her eyes to meet another’s face. She couldn’t walk into a room with dignity, or even look up at the heavens. She was quite literally bowed down.

And when Jesus notices her, something striking happens. He stoops down to meet her where she is. The text is careful—she doesn’t approach him. She doesn’t ask for help. She doesn’t even speak. It is Jesus who notices, Jesus who takes the initiative. He bends toward her so that she doesn’t have to lift herself up.  

It’s a small detail, but I think it reveals the nature of grace. God stoops. God comes down to meet us when we are too bowed down to lift ourselves up.

What was bent is now straight

When Jesus lays his hands on her, Luke says her back is made straight. The Greek word is explicit—what was crooked, what was curved in on itself, is now upright.

This whole story is a Gospel in miniature.

Jesus comes to where we are—bent, weary, unable to straighten ourselves. He stoops down. He removes the obstacles that keep us from being our true selves. And then, by his word and his touch, he recreates us.  

That is salvation. Not something we earn, not even something we initiate. Pure gift. God’s gift. 

Now there’s more to this of course, but you’ll need to listen to the sermon for that…

You can access the full sermon by using this link.