Greetings again my Brethren. This month we will look at God’s most favorite element to communicate with us, sickness. Well, let me back off of that statement and rephrase my thoughts. Our sickness is NOT God’s most favorite way to communicate with us, but it is, in my opinion, God’s number one way He gets our attention. All throughout the Bible God will use sickness to bring people to their knees. Too many times in my life God introduced the possibility, to me, being sick with some malady and boy did He get me to prayer. I think we all can say Amen there. I have often thought about how God uses sickness in the affairs of our lives. I guess there is nothing more important than our health when it comes to our happiness. Matthew has a lot to say about Jesus healing the sick. In Matthew 4, we read, “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. 25And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.” (Matthew 4:23-25) So, Jesus used sickness or the healing of sickness to draw crowds of people. Notice the people came from Galilee to Jerusalem north to south and in a span of a three day walk or 70 miles and beyond the Jordan (River) west 21 miles or 1 to 11/2 day walk. But, here Matthew names the sickness of the people. I guess if I was sick and had no hope I too would turn to Jesus. Not only sickness but He cast out devils. In Matthew 9, we read where Jesus heals people again,
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;” (Matthew 9:35-37) WOW Jesus healed “EVERY” sickness and “EVERY” disease. But, notice these folks with their sicknesses moved Jesus to have compassion on them. Not unlike us our sickness too moves Jesus to compassion. Now it says “EVERY” sickness and disease was healed and I believe it to be so, but many folks would say how about those who are not healed? Does Jesus not have compassion on these people? And that answer is I do not know. God has touched my body many times and even performed miracles in my life for physical healing, but I cannot speak for others. I can only speak for myself. Like the blind man in John Chapter 9, “Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. 25He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” (John 9:24-25) The who and the why God heals is a mystery, they are the secret things that belong unto the LORD. Moses writes, “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29) I have to keep this verse in mind when things do not go my way. Like when someone I love, like my sister in law Sharon, who recently died of cancer and we do not understand it; she was a great Believer, love the LORD, a true inspiration to 1,000s, yet she was not healed. How about her? I do not know why and I think nobody knows why, except God. This belongs to Him and only Him. One thing I have learned and that is I am not God. In Matthew 10, we read, “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” (Matthew 10:1) Now this verse is really interesting. Here Jesus did not heal the people, but gave the disciples power over all manners of sickness and diseases and power to cast out unclean spirits. Now I am sure He could have, but he did not. He gave us the power to heal people. Let me say that again. Jesus gave us the power to heal people. Now we do not have the power within ourselves aside of Christ, but Jesus gave us the power to lay hands on people and they be healed. Now I am not sure, but maybe (why some people are not healed) God is waiting for His people to believe His word and take up the responsibility to heal their sisters and brothers though the power of God? For sure when we do, then the reason God used sickness to get our attention will come into view, so that we can see His glory. There is nothing greater than to think we are on the way out and God steps in and saves the day. Oh, the joy, oh the glory that floods our soul.
Next month we will continue to look at other diverse objects God can use to communicate with us as we look at Ravens. Are you there my friend? In tough situations and circumstances? Have you heard His voice? Listen closely and you will. Written by David Stahl
