Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion covers Luke 6:17-19.  

 

“Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a great throng of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases;  and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured.  And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all.”  Luke 6:17-19. 

 

Reading Scripture in its order has its advantages.  You remember the context.

 

As we read in yesterday’s immediately preceding Scripture, Jesus ^“…  went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.”  Luke 6:12. 

 

As we also read in the prior chapter’s Scripture, “But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.”  Luke 5:16. 

 

 

In the very next verse, we read:  “One day He was teaching;  and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem;  and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing.”  Luke 5:17.  (Emphasis added.)

 

In today’s Scripture, we read:  “And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all.”  Luke 6:19.  (Emphasis added.)

 

In both cases, after such prayer, there was power coming from Him and much healing.

 

Now, it is very possible, especially with the use of the vague phrase “one  day” in Luke 5:17 that this healing took place sometime later, maybe much later than the prayer.  But, it is also possible that “the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing”  as a result of the prayer, and maybe as a result of the dedication to prayer evident by going away to pray. 

 

 

 

In conclusion, there are many verses that speak of the power of prayer.  I will close with James 5:16:
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.  The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”