“As you get older, you mellow, but there's a natural propensity to watch what you say, 'cause you learn that you want more time and space to craft what you want to say because you're less likely to want to say impetuous things, or things that aren't thought-out properly.” (Gord Downie)
Of all the men in the Bible, I relate most to Simon Peter. He was someone who often spoke
his emotions without first thinking if it was the appropriate thing to say in a
given situation. Even with this
character challenge, Jesus had this high compliment to say about him in Matthew
16:18 (MSG): You are Peter, a rock. This is the
rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy
that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.
Simon Peter was
a Sea of Galilee fisherman with his brother Andrew (before becoming disciples
of Jesus). Their father’s name was John. They both came from the town
Bethsaida. Simon Peter shared a “full house” with his single brother, Andrew
(no children or wife mentioned), an unnamed wife we’ll call “Saida,” and an unnamed
mother-in-law we will call “Kena.” (Could she be a widow?) That’s a lot of
moods and attitudes to adjust to. The only reference for a child of Saida and
Peter is a “Marcus” in 1 Peter 5:13. Most scholars believe this was a
“spiritual son” Simon Peter was mentoring, and not an actual physical child.
One day Jesus was
requested to come to Andrew and Simon Peter’s home (from the synagogue He was
teaching at). He brought with Him the “Sons of Thunder,” James and John, the
sons of Zebedee. I believe Peter realized only Jesus could heal Kena of the
high fever she was suffering from (as she lay in her bed burning up and
sweating). His power was limited in this life and death situation. Scripture
gives us no indication as to what caused the fever, but I’m lead to believe it
was deadly.
I am lead to
believe Bethsaida was a small town because it seemed everyone knew how sick
Kena was, and how important she was to the town, and Saida. Luke 4:38 (NLT)
says: Everyone begged. “Please heal her.” Most the time, Jesus acts of healing were done very simply
without a lot of show. In this case, Jesus stood at Kena’s bedside, and asked
the fever to leave. (I believe Jesus voice of authority left no other option
for the fever than to do what He was asking of it.)
The ending of
this story confuses me. It says that once Kena was healed from her deadly
fever. She fixed a meal for everyone present. Maybe that was her duty in the
house, but I’m afraid if I had been healed from a deadly fever fixing you
dinner would not be the first thing on my mind.
There are so
many ways that do a miracle today. It can involve a recognizable healing,
causing someone to change their mind on a topic, or anything that is beyond
what you expected of Him. Psalm 77:14
(NLT) says: You are the God
of miracles and wonders! You still demonstrate your awesome power. When has God done something unexpected in your life (that you
would consider a miracle)?[i]
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