Serving Up Gratitude

Serving Up Gratitude

Peter’s Mother-in-law

Read: Matthew 8:14-15

I tried to stand up but quickly sank back on the couch. They weren’t kidding about the seriousness of this Asian flu. For three days, I had been so weak that I could barely move. It had taken all my strength to make my boys cheese sandwiches at lunch. I felt bad when I saw that my two-year-old had pressed his slice of cheese onto the window. Now I felt even worse to see that it was gone. I only hoped that the sun hadn’t spoiled the mayonnaise. More than anything, I longed to be able to take good care of my sons again, to cook a meal, even to scrub the bathrooms.

When Jesus came to Peter’s house for a visit, his mother-in-law lay sick in bed with a fever. Jesus touched her hand and the fever immediately left her body. The woman wasn’t just on the road to recovery; she experienced an instant healing. Instead of lying in bed recuperating and waiting to regain her strength, she jumped up and prepared a meal for Jesus and his followers. She was happy to be able to serve Jesus out of love and gratitude for his healing touch.

Right after I’ve recovered from the flu or other illness, I relish being able to do household chores, even my least favorite ones. Unfortunately, that attitude wears off rather quickly. My willingness to serve Jesus should never fade when I remember that he healed me from sin. God doesn’t want us to serve him grudgingly or because we think we can earn bonus points. True service is an expression of love and gratitude for God’s mercy and grace. We may not always feel like it, but when we think about what he has done for us, we’ll follow the example of Peter’s mother-in-law and jump at the chance to serve God or fellow believers.

Serve the LORD with gladness.

Psalm 100:2 (NKJV)