"O Lord my God, I cried out to you, and you restored my to health" (Psalm 30:2)

​     Of all the things that people want, at the top of the list for most of us would be good health.  Indeed, to have and do any of the other things that people want, a person first needs to have good health.
     And so when the Psalmist prays for his health to be restored, we all can appreciate such a prayer.  But now how does God answer such prayers?
     As we see in this Sunday's Gospel reading, sometimes the Lord heals with just a touch (as we see in the woman who touches Jesus and is healed in Mark 5).  Sometimes with Jesus' words, a person is healed and even raised from the dead (as we see in the little girl raised with the words, "Little girl, get up".)
     The problem is, Jesus doesn't promise that that will ALWAYS happen.  We no longer can touch Jesus' clothes (as the woman in Mark 5 did).  And while Jesus spoke the words to raise the little girl, He doesn't do that anymore; at least not yet.
     Oh the day will come when all people will be raised and given glorified bodies without any illnesses.  As the Scriptures describe heaven, it includes no more tears, death or pain (Revelation 21:4)
     But what about in between the times when Jesus walked the earth with His healing ministry, and when the glorified Christ will receive us into the eternal life prepared for us?  That's where you and I are now.
     Here's what we can do now:  First, we certainly can pray for healing, and even for resurrections.  And keep in mind:  while God is all-powerful and do anything He wants to do, He is also sovereign and has the authority to heal right now, or to wait, or to work through other means.  
     And so just as a parent of a young child may not give what a child asks for, or not as soon as she/he wants it, so God answers our prayers in various ways.  I know of  people healed immediately, in later weeks, months, years, and for some, the healing comes after death, when given a heavenly body.
     God also most often is working through the body of Christ:  through the people in whom He chooses to work.  Like doctors, medical science, social workers, police, teachers, the church, etc.  And so you and I become the means through which God brings healing and new life to people.  I am not able to cure a person of cancer.  But I can support the cancer society that is working to do so.  I am not able to raise the dead, but I can save loves through the protection and care and help that I can provide through all kinds of agencies and actions and words.
     So let us trust in the God who created all of us and all things, and who knows us better than anyone else!  Let us trust in the God who so dearly loves each and every one of us that He sent us His Son to redeem us all.  And let us trust in the God who heals, raises the dead, and ultimately will restore us all to perfect health and an eternal life with Him!

God Bless,

Pastor Steve