Devotional: Healing

Luke 4:40(NASB)

While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them.

The verse above appeared in my Bible reading this past week and in the sermon at church.  I wrote in my journal beside it, "I wish Jesus were doing this today."   

Yes, I know, sometimes God does see fit to heal people today, but wouldn't it be nice if Jesus walked among us today and those of us who need physical healing could go to Him and have Him lay hands on us and heal us? That would be wonderful.  It would be wonderful for family caregivers to be able to bring their loved ones to Jesus for physical healing.  That was the reality for many during the time of Jesus' ministry.

The fact that people need physical healing points to the fact that things in this world are not as they should be.  The Fall of Adam into sin in the Garden of Eden has put a curse on the whole world.  People get sick.  Things fall apart.  While this is discouraging, we must not leave it there.  Jesus came, died for our sin and rose again so that we can have forgiveness of sins and live with Him forever in eternity in bodies that will be whole again. Yes, we might deal with pain and illness now, but we look forward to the hope of eternity.

1 Peter 5:10  After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.