I was reading Mark 1:29-39 and the story retells of Simon-Peter’s mother-in-law being very ill with a high fever. Jesus was told of her condition and he went to see the sick woman. When He arrived, He held her hand and helped her up out of bed; instantly healing her. Upon gaining her strength, she began to fix dinner for her guests.

What struck me about the story was the mother-in-laws’ condition before she was healed; when she was sick in bed and presumably feeling very badly. It’s not a stretch to wonder if her condition could have been fatal if Jesus had not healed her.

As she lay there sick, Jesus approached her bedside. Was she even aware of His presence next to her or was the fever distorting her thinking?  He drew close to her in the middle of her suffering. I doubt her “faith” was strong at that moment. I am assuming the fever was causing pain and confusion within her body and mind. That didn’t matter though. Jesus’ compassion for her was clear and that’s all that mattered.

Our own pain often distorts our view of just how close Jesus really is to us. Whether we are feeling it or not, He is standing right by our own bedsides, hand outstretched, ready to lift us up to enjoy His companionship. I am so thankful that He is near to us even when we don’t see Him very clearly through the haze of our own pain.