There is a short story in the Bible that is easily skipped over. I don’t think I have ever heard a sermon based on this scripture. I admit it would be difficult to use it as a proof text for a thirty minute sermon without there being quite a bit of speculation, because there just isn’t enough information given. Nevertheless it is an important verse or it would not have been included in Holy Scripture.
“Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them” (Mathew 8:14).
We do not know what illness was causing the fever. It could have been pneumonia, the flu, or some other common ailment. We know it was severe enough to go to bed even though she had company to serve. Jesus healed her by simply laying his hand on her.
The encouragement I receive from this short story is God cares about the smallest of our needs. People who do not know God personally, but admire him from afar, will often say, “God is too busy to think about my puny stuff.” But God does care. Yes others may apparently have worse things to deal with than I do, but he has enough compassion for them and for me.
Do not be afraid to bring even your smallest concern to him who calls himself your loving Father.
