I've been reading the gospels out loud every night to my parents, because my dad can't read anymore. It's amazing to just read the bare New Testament - no commentaries, no prosperity ministers, no poverty ministers, just the word of God, and the words of Jesus.
We came to Luke 9, and that's where it is crystal clear. That's where God's healing mandate is spelled out. It is so simple.
Here it is:
Luke 9: 1-6
1 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.
4 “Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”
6 So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
It's interesting that Jesus also talks about provision. He talks about having basic needs met. I see in the gospels that when it comes to healing, Jesus provides total restoration. When it comes to provision, He provides just what we need.
The reason I'm putting this emphasis on healing is that so many people are absolutely hung up on denying the importance of healing, and deny themselves the benefit of healing, even though Psalm 103 says, "forget not all His benefits, who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases.."
And healing is so central to the gospel, that it went hand in hand with the gospel as Jesus commissioned His disciples, and it is our mandate as well.
In America, we are terribly impoverished in our thinking on this subject. We do not accept God's gift of healing. We accept suffering and disease. I was looking for funny things on the web related to cabin fever yesterday, and I found a trailer for the movie "Cabin Fever" and it said this:
"A group of five college graduates rent a cabin in the woods and begin to fall victim to a horrifying flesh-eating virus, which attracts the unwanted attention of the homicidal locals."
Maybe a part of us takes some sick, perverse pleasure in sickness and death. It's ingrained in our American psyche.
Then I went further and found and another bad case of Cabin Fever depicted in the movie "The Shining." More sickness in the American psyche! Not too funny!
We have had material prosperity - more than we need, and we lack health - the opposite of what Jesus had in mind. Example: CEO of Apple who is now struggling with his health.
What's the answer? Draw near to God and He will draw near to us. See the problem and go to work on it. Find like minds and fellowship in the truth.
Interesting that my dad groans with pleasure at the thought of meeting Jesus in person and being touched by Him, when I read about His healing miracles. This means something when you read my testimony, which I recently tweaked.
2 comments:
Hi GabrielleEden,
It was good to hear from you again. Its been a long time! I hear what you are saying about God healing us. The whole world needs healing. Why are people on drugs of all sorts, legal and otherwise? Its because they need to love and be loved. They need grace, to give and receive. All the technological advancements in the world don't benefit our basic needs like the Lord's mercy.
But God's love is not like what most people want from Him. His love includes adherence to law and righteousness, obedience. He gives us His grace and justifies us freely, but He also desires our sanctification--through the peace we get from His acceptance and justification.
And His healing comes through that acceptance too. It was by their faith that the people in Jesus' day were able to be healed. There were people He wanted to heal but couldn't, because they didn't fully surrender to His love. Then there were others who He healed for the sake of others, i.e. the nine lepers who didn't deserve the healing. But apparently, the one who was thankful was the generating faith in the others. In their great need, they were forced into the company of they one who genuinely had faith and that faith caught on to them. But, once healed, their need left them. The Samaritan leper remained faithful and, maybe was the only one who stayed healed.
I didn't mean to sermonize. Sorry. One other thing--can you accept what Paul wrote? "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."
Love you much, sister.
Thanks David for sharing your thoughts. It's true - God's healing love leads a person into dealing with His holiness.
Paul's "thorn" may have been a person who kept harassing and persecuting him, acc. to some sources. Since we don't know what it was, we can't build a whole theology on it.
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