Let's make sure we're availing ourselves of the guidance of the Spirit. Let us make sure that He and no other is the one who leads us. Let us trust him to guide us through life. Without this living guide we risk the hypocrisy of the Synagogue leaders who are more interested in rules than in grace and mercy. They miss the whole point of the Sabbath rest. They are guided by their pride and not by God. The Spirit would reveal the true purpose of the Sabbath. It is to be a time of rest, a time to draw near to God. Even ox and ass may be fed and watered. It is not a rule for slaves. It is a rule for sons and daughters, designed to provide quality family time.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you received a spirit of adoption,
through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”
Any other perspective than the Spirit's perspective will ultimately fail us. We'll fall back to slavery and fear. We'll be more interested in our own effort than the true purpose of laws like this. The purpose is always oriented toward relationship and toward love. This is why "those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." Without this leadership we rely on ourselves. Our pride and selfishness end up isolating us even when we are surrounded by others. But the Spirit takes our hearts of stone and gives us hearts of flesh (cf. Eze. 36:26). He will give us hearts like that of Jesus, completely defined by love.
And a woman was there who for eighteen years
had been crippled by a spirit;
she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.
When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,
“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”
He laid his hands on her,
and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
Even though Jesus is just now healing this woman we can see that she is on his heart for the full eighteen years during which she suffers.
This daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,
ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day
from this bondage?”
It would be easier for Jesus to be indifferent. But the love of Jesus always embraces the other in her suffering. He does not hide behind rules in order to keep his own heart safe from the pain of this woman. Instead he himself lays hands on her and raises her up. We are often indifferent to shield ourselves from the pain of the world. But this is not how our hearts should be. Let us allow the Spirit to guide us. Let us allow him to teach us to love like our Father.
The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
As he gives us his own heart we experience what it truly means to be his children.
but you received a spirit of adoption,
through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if only we suffer with him
so that we may also be glorified with him.
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