Matthew 8:14-17 Jesus Heals Many

Some suggest that healing ceased and it is not for today. Others insist that healing is the "right" of every Christian. Empirical evidence proves both extremes wrong. There are testimonies of healing throughout Church History that prove that it did not end with the apostles, but continued with the spread of the Church until today. There are also plenty of testimonies from good, faithful brethren that their prayers for healing, for themselves or a loved one, were not answered as expected and it was not due to lack of faith. Somewhere between these two poles is the truth.

Jesus heals many, but not all. In this lifetime, we have to come to grips with the sovereignty of God in his choosing who he will heal and when. Faith is certainly necessary for healing, but not sufficient. The prophecy fulfilled is Isaiah 53. It specifically says that the Messiah would bear our grief and carry our sorrows. But we know that Jesus was not able to meet everyone who was sick and heal them even in his time. He healed all those that came into his path, and at times, he retired from the crowds to rest leaving many sick still.

But Isaiah 53:5 tells me more. It informs me that Jesus' death was substitutionary - he took my place. He was wounded for my transgressions. He was crushed for my iniquities. It tells me that the peace I enjoy today is the result of his chastisement. And there is a promise of healing as a result of his stripes. Why then, we don't experience healing all the time? 

Sickness and death are inevitable. The promise of healing is for all of us and it will ultimately be fulfilled at Christ's return when we are given new glorified bodies. But while in the flesh, God bestows healing as he sees fit to fulfill his plan for the ages. My responsibility is to believe and live by faith whether I experience healing or not, whether a loved one is healed or not. I must come to terms with the reality of the human condition: frail and temporal. I must grip the reality of a God who has a plan to ultimately heal me and wait patiently for its fulfillment even through death.

Lord, help me in my unbelief. When my own family suffers and healing does not come, help me believe. May I trust you and your plans for my life. May I have peace when illness strikes. May I have patience and hope as I wait for my final redemption.