healing

“Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.”
(Jeremiah 17:14)

The body’s healing abilities are truly amazing. The healing of a broken bone or a cut in the skin requires much more than we normally appreciate. It involves genetic programming that scientists still don’t fully understand. It also involves thousands of chemical cascades that need to be executed with exacting precision. There simply is no plausible naturalistic explanation for the human body (or any biological system) and its amazing attributes and abilities. We were indeed fearfully and wonderfully made by a loving Creator Whose image we are honored to bear (Psalm 139:14). As we traffic through life in this fallen world, we will inevitably incur all kinds of wounds. Some of our wounds heal quickly and completely, others take more time. Some heal but leave scars. Of course we believe that God can suddenly and supernaturally heal every disease and every wound we and our loved ones incur (Matthew 4:24; 8:13, 16; 12:15, 22; 14:14; 15:30; 19:2; 21:14; Mark 1:34; 3:10; Luke 4:40; 5:15; 6:17-19). God promised through the prophets that sickness and disease would be completely absent in the kingdom age (Isaiah 33:24). It is important to recognize, however, that our Lord’s healing miracles were presented as proof that He was the promised Messianic King and that His kingdom was at hand. His healing miracles were given as demonstrations of “the powers of the world to come” (Hebrews 6:5). Israel’s rejection of Christ meant the temporary withdrawal of God’s kingdom offer. In the present dispensation, the church has assumed Israel’s role as custodian of special revelation intended to make people wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:15-16). The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:19-20), and as proof of the divine authority of their message, God granted them the ability to perform sign miracles as Jesus did (Acts 2:43). Though God can, and sometimes does, supernaturally heal people physically today, He is in no way obligated to. Timothy, a man of great faithfulness (Philippians 2:19-22) suffered frequent illnesses (1 Timothy 5:23). Trophimus was a faithful traveling companion of Paul (Acts 20:4; 21:29) yet the great apostle had to leave him sick at Miletus (2 Timothy 4:20). We can be absolutely sure that one day all of our wounds and scars will be healed completely. At long last we will be flawless reflections of the Blessed Savior Who loved us first (1 John 3:1-2; 4:19). Though the healing of our bodies may have to wait, the healing of our hearts and minds is already well under way. Just knowing who we are in Christ and that the hard things we endure are being permitted for a good reason is a huge help. Paul incurred terrible wounds in this life, still he knew that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

May this meditation bless and strengthen you today, dear saints,

pastor john