Throughout the gospels, it seems that Jesus was continually healing the blind, lame, deaf, mute and chronically ill. Everywhere he went, the demand was high that he would touch each person and restore them to wholeness. His healing ministry was so miraculous that it created hope in the heart of every person who struggled with a physical infirmity of some kind.
The only prerequisite for Jesus healing someone was faith. As I look at all of the examples of faith as exhibited in those who were healed by Jesus, I see people:
Calling out to him, asking for his mercy and help.
Approaching him, coming into his presence when he bid them to come.
Affirming that he was God, the Messiah, God in flesh, the Rabbi who had the power to heal if he wished to do so.
Touching him/experiencing his touch and/or hearing his voice proclaiming them healed.
Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as, “being sure about what we hope for, being convinced about things we do not see”. For these blind men, they were sure that Jesus could heal them. They were literally believing in someone they could not see, but were certain they could trust. Jesus said that their healing was in accordance with their faith.
This concept of “healing faith” has been misunderstood in many ways. The most difficult situations have been when God has not healed someone, and people conclude that a lack of faith must be the reason why. I would like to make the case that even if one calls out to Jesus for healing, and has 100% faith that he or she would be healed, God sometimes has other plans. They may be as painful as what Mary and Martha experienced when their brother, Lazarus, died before Jesus came. (John 11) God always has a good purpose for what he does, but it is sometimes for a good that we cannot understand. The reality is that we all must die at some time, and our bodies slowly deteriorate over the span of our lives.
We will all shed these physical bodies someday, and be given a heavenly body that will never deteriorate. Until then, some are healed and some are not, but God will be glorified in all of these, because “... we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
Are you waiting to be healed? Or are you praying for a loved one to be healed? No matter whether God heals or not, your faith will be a testimony to what you know for sure and are certain of!. Even though you don’t understand why God heals some and not others, you can know that he is a good God, full of compassion and love for you and your loved ones.
Lord, help me to have faith, no matter what happens in my health or in that of someone that I love. I do want to be certain of what I know and who I know, and to look to the future with confident faith in the one who holds the future. Amen.
For Today: Here is a song that helps me with faith for the future. I hope listening to it may strengthen your faith too. I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
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