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Luke 4:38-44 (The Message)

He left the meeting place and went to Simon's house.

Simon's mother-in-law was running a high fever and they asked him to do something for her.

He stood over her, told the fever to leave—and it left. Before they knew it, she was up getting dinner for them.

When the sun went down, everyone who had anyone sick with some ailment or other brought them to him. One by one he placed his hands on them and healed them.

Demons left in droves, screaming, "Son of God! You're the Son of God!" But he shut them up, refusing to let them speak because they knew too much, knew him to be the Messiah.

He left the next day for open country.

But the crowds went looking and, when they found him, clung to him so he couldn't go on. He told them, "Don't you realize that there are yet other villages where I have to tell the Message of God's kingdom, that this is the work God sent me to do?"

Meanwhile he continued preaching in the meeting places of Galilee.

Why wouldn't the people try to hang on to this amazing man?

Look what he had done for them: the sick were made well, demons driven out...you would never want someone like that to leave your side.

But Jesus headed out for "open country." ...And they tracked him down.

It's so easy as followers of Jesus to look primarily, or perhaps exclusively at what Jesus can do for us. It's still much tougher, these 2,000+ years later, to hear the truth that the real question is about what he can do for us all.

How do we follow Jesus, love him, and "cling" to him without being "clingy?" Somehow, it is possible. In fact, it's the only way.

We are invited to share Jesus' message with the people around us. We are asked to trust him for the healing that we need in our own lives and communities , and to share him freely with everyone else.

Christianity in our country could go so much further if Christians really believed in this idea. Our "Jesus" is not better than somebody else's...and following him means more than wrapping him up around ourselves like a security blanket.

The big question is this...how can I let Jesus out into "open country" today, and what would happen if we went along for the ride?

Help us to learn that your healing is for everyone, and that disciples shouldn't "cling to you so that you cannot go on." We thank you for an invitation to the journey.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.