Scripture readings
Devotional 📖
One of the most heart-wrenching stories in the Bible is the story of a leper who needed healing.
In ancient times, leprosy was a ‘catchall’ term for any disease that particularly affected the skin. Those who were perceived to have leprosy were considered the lowest in society. They faced rejection and therefore most of them had to be beg to earn a living. They were kicked out of their cities and made to live on the sides of the roads. In Jesus’ culture, it was forbidden for Rabbis to touch people who were classed as ‘unclean’, which included those affected by leprosy.
To know Jesus as the Healer, we must first recognise that it is His will to heal. Jesus isn’t just able to heal, He desires to heal. Everyone that came to Him with the faith to be healed, were healed. Acts 10:38 says that He healed all. There’s not one person that escaped from His extended, compassionate, healing hand.
Healing is a window into Christ’s heart, and Christ is a window into the Father’s heart. We see the compassion of God displayed through Christ when He ignored societal norms and touched those everyone would have called ‘unclean’. It is God’s will that we be healed, whole and healthy. God does not make people ill. Sickness is not part of the sufferings of Christ. He was never sick so we know that sickness does not come from God. We are living in a broken and fallen world, and we do have an enemy, but Christ rules, and reigns over all, and He is still healing today.
Now, this may not be everyone’s reality, even those who may believe in God’s power to heal. However, it’s important we do not deny the truth of the word just because it doesn’t reflect our current circumstance. God is both able, and willing, to heal. It just may not always be in the fashion, manner, or time that we have asked.
Jesus was anointed to heal the sick, and He purchased our healing through His death on the cross. By His stripes, we are healed! Healed: Past tense.
Our healing has already been purchased through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Our full, complete healing is a reality in heaven that we are waiting for the delivery of. All we need to do is receive His healing.
The truth of Jesus is that He is YHWH Rapha - The Lord who heals.
Prayer 🙏
Lord Jesus, thank you that you have supreme authority over life itself and when you are with me, your power is present to heal. Lord, I'm not here to beg for what you’ve already purchased for me. In your kindness and your mercy, I receive your healing for my body, soul, spirit and mind. By Your stripes, I am healed. I receive my healing with gratitude and reject sickness from my body.
In Jesus name,
Amen