Posted on 07/21/2019 6:01:14 AM PDT by metmom
“When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases’” (Matthew 8:16–17).
Jesus performed healing miracles for reasons far more profound than to wipe out all disease, which did happen in Palestine while He ministered. First, He healed to personally participate in humanity’s suffering and illness. He knew people’s inner feelings of agony, bewilderment, despair, and frustration because of disease, and He wanted to sympathize. He vicariously experienced those elements, “for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses” (Heb. 4:15).
Second, Christ healed people because He experienced the awful effects of disease’s root cause, sin. He could not see the pain of disease and death without feeling sin’s pain. Jesus wept for Lazarus (John 11:34–36) not from sadness but from feeling the sting of sin and evil that brings death to everyone. Sin and sickness both operate as effects of the Fall, and only divine power can cure either.
Third, our Lord “took our infirmities and carried away our diseases” as a preview of His kingdom’s most wonderful elements—the permanent removal of sin, sorrow, and disease (cf. Rev. 21:1–4). His redeeming work to remove the penalty and guilt of sin for His own would be complete. Just as with His transfiguration, in which He pulled back the veil over His flesh and gave three disciples a glimpse of His divine glory, Jesus gave those healed and all who witnessed a gracious preview of His eternal kingdom.
Ask Yourself
The question is not whether or not Jesus can heal, but rather why He chooses to sometimes withhold the healing we seek. When He does, what eternal purposes might He have in mind?
Studying God’s Word ping
“...why He chooses to sometimes withhold the healing we seek.”
The fault isn’t with him. He healed everybody — he didn’t tell anyone they were unworthy, or their theology wasn’t perfect, or they had some kind of hidden sin in their lives.
Out of the multitudes that he healed, a lot must have fit into one of those categories.
Neither did he ever say sickness was good for you, and a blessing. (There’s no Beatitude for the sick.)
I’m sure after having been beaten within an inch of his life, a crown of thorns pressed into His skull, His clothes ripped off his bloody body, having nails driven into His hands and hanging on a Roman cross for three full hours He does not know what agony is.
I know, He’s not living it 24/7, and pain is grueling and wears you down faster than about anything, but since He lives inside us and He is the almighty, all knowing God, He does know what it’s like.
However for the why He allows it, I don’t have the answers. I’m dealing with a full plate myself and struggle with it much of the time.
OK, so now tell us WHY we’re not healed.
And if you can do it without blaming the sick person, all the better.
Oh goody!
I get to mind read Jesus in this thread!!
I really am very sorry for your situation.
I have had my share of excruciating pain, but it has not been long term. And that has been enough to make me grateful that that is just one more thing on my plate that I don’t have to deal with.
I have my health issues to deal with, too, which are not as uncomfortable, but still, major ones that will soon be a matter of life and death if God doesn’t intervene.
If it were up to me, everyone would get healed who needed it. I don’t even begin to pretend to understand why some get healed and others don’t, but the people with glib, simplistic answers (who are usually healthy and have no idea what living with a debilitating, chronic health issue is like) just push me over the edge. Especially the ones who blame the person for being in the situation they are in.
But they'll point to a verse!!
Everyone has suffering to one degree or another is this life. Why God allows what He allows and to what degree we will not know until we see Him face to face. Until then we have His answer to Paul. “My grace is sufficient for you”. Bless all who suffer and may we all come to rely on His all sufficient grace.
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