Valerie Rae Hanneman
Matthew 8:14-15 “Jesus went to the home of Peter, where He found that Peter's mother-in-law was sick in bed with fever. He took her by the hand, and the fever left her. Then she got up and served Jesus a meal.”(CEV)
Jesus had called me to this children’s ministry and I wasn’t happy. I was helping out once a week with a homework/play club over at the apartments across the street from the church. The ministry was called Care Fresno and I was only there because I knew it was better than sitting in some fish’s belly. So I was doing it - because He told me to - but I didn’t like kids in general- and these little heathens from the neighborhood were horrible! In my mind, I was actually looking for a way out of the ministry. Now, on this particular afternoon, I have Greg Ruud standing in front of me. Care Fresno needs a volunteer coordinator - would I be interested in the position? Inside my mind, I was doing the freakazoid. I came up with the religious excuses first - I had only been back at the church for a year - I didn’t know enough about the Bible. I had never lead a ministry - I would mess it up. Jesus deserved better than me - wouldn’t He want somebody who WANTED to do it? And then the other excuses. I worked full-time plus some, my children were young and I was a single mom with all that entails, including dragging them to soccer games every weekend. I looked at all the excuses for not saying yes. I did a gut check and knew I absolutely could not do this ministry, so I told Greg..................
It was the end of a long day for Jesus. Earlier that day He had preached the Sermon on the Mount. As He was coming down from the mountain He was approached by a leper who asked to be healed, and Jesus healed him. Then came the Centurion asking that his servant be healed. Jesus offered to accompany the man to his home, but the Centurion declined saying that he wasn’t good enough for Jesus to come to his home, that if Jesus just said so - the servant would be healed. Jesus said so, and the servant was healed. Now he has come to Peter’s house in Caperneum. And then in just three sentences, the Word tells of one of the most significant lessons for we who are Christ-followers to learn and obey. Jesus came into Peter’s house, found his mother-in-law sick in bed with a fever. He took her hand, the fever left her, and she got up and served Him a meal.
So what is the significant lesson for us? In a day of amazing events - why should this one stand out? Jesus did not have to preach a sermon that would resonate throughout the world for the rest of time. This was just a relative little healing. He did not have to cure her of leprosy - just of a fever. He did not have to do a long-distance healing, He came to where she was and took her hand. Do you see the significance? It is so easy to overlook.
The significance wasn’t in what Jesus did. Jesus did what He always does. He met her need. The significance is in what the mother-in-law did. She was sick in bed with a fever, Jesus healed her, and she got up and served Him a meal. She got up and served Him. She did not say that she didn’t know enough about cooking to serve Jesus a meal. She didn’t say that she needed to go to the Cordon Bleu of Jerusalem before she cooked for Jesus because her cooking wasn’t worthy of Him. She didn’t say that she was behind on her chores because of her illness. In fact, she is not recorded as saying anything at all. She just got up and served Jesus.
And that is the lesson for us. Just get up and serve Jesus.
I did a gut check and knew I absolutely could not do this ministry, so I told Greg..................yes. There I stood in the middle of my no’s - and within my heart a small still voice said “yes.” I knew it was Jesus speaking to me (it sure wasn’t me!) So I just got up and served Jesus.
Like Peter’s mother-in-law, I had a fever - only my fever was a deadly one - it was a sin-fever. When I took my soul-sickness to Him, Jesus took my hand and did what He always does. He met my need.. He saved my from my fever and healed me eternally. What can I ever give Him that compares to what He has given me?
Out of gratitude, this healed woman got up and served Jesus a meal - it wasn’t anything that could rival what Jesus was used to eating in heaven, but it was the best that she had to give to Him. And for Jesus, who could see into her heart, it was ambrosia.
Out of gratitude, this healed woman said “yes” when everything inside of her was saying “no.” I wasn’t equipped to lead the Care Fresno Kids Klub ministry ten years ago and to be honest, I still am not fully equipped to handle it. But it is the best that I have to give Him. And for Jesus, who sees into a heart that only wants to love and serve Him, it gives Him cause to shout in triumph.
Have you felt Jesus gently urging you into serving Him in a place that is outside of your comfort zone? Are your excuses an echo of mine? Quit making excuses and just get up and serve Him. He makes it worth it when You step out for Him.
My LORD Jesus, I got up and served You in a ministry that I did not want to do. I obeyed Your voice because I love You. Now I serve You in Care Fresno because I love You and I love this ministry. Thank You for choosing me - challenging me - and changing me. Please don’t let me find a comfort zone in this ministry - keep challenging me and changing me to be more like You.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-Ministry of Fresno First Baptist at valerie@fresnofirst.org
Posted by Valerie at October 13, 2006 12:20 PM