“And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.” Mark 1:31
September 30-October 1, 2022
You have to love reading about the miracles of Jesus. Jesus performed thousands of healings (mostly in Galilee) during His three years of public ministry. But only seventeen healing accounts are recorded in the Gospels. There is a good reason we have these miracles recorded in Scripture. They give protection from misinterpretation. The miracles of Jesus were marvelous events exceeding the known powers of nature. We are surrounded by sickness, disease, physical misery, and death just as Jesus was. Are we to expect the kind of miracles Jesus performed? Is our problem a lack of faith? Jesus walked into the room of Peter’s sick mother-in-law. The right medicine was not available and not needed. Jesus took her by the hand and the fever left her. We can take this with us. Jesus, the healer, performed His miracles out of compassion and with ease. Anyone who has been laid low by a fever know what it is like. Your body temperature is up, you shake and shiver, and you feel helplessly weak. Jesus had the power to do something, and He did it. The recovery was immediate and everyone rejoiced. The authority of the Servant of God (Mk. 10:45) over sickness was instantaneous and dramatically demonstrated. The miracle pointed to something. What? Jesus’ miracles of healing accompanied the teaching of the Messiah to confirm His power and authority to do the greater thing, namely, to deal with sin. Do you not see why divine revelation must accompany signs and wonders? Sign-miracles without a message create disaster. Healing is not a part of the gospel. We are not guaranteed healing. We may not go home from the hospital completely well. The gospel is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ because of the cross and resurrection, and be saved. Is God healing sick people today? We are to ask God for healing, if that is to bring the greatest glory to God. This we are to know, that healing may or may not come in this life. But in the promise of a resurrection body we have a final and eternal healing waiting on us. The hope we as believers have is to flood all the corners of our thoughts. Jesus is always in the room with us. H
A time to pray: “Merciful Father, I love you in sickness and in health. Give me fullness of joy no matter how I cross the bridge into your presence.”