Healing the Sick
Scripture Reading — )Mark 1:29-34
Praise the LORD, my soul … [he] heals all your diseases…
Psalm 103:2-3
Years ago, as a pastor in southern California, I was asked to attend a faith-healing meeting with a member of our congregation. A well-meaning friend had told him that he would be healed from his illness if only he had enough faith. The person inviting him had quoted Psalm 103:3, which says the Lord “heals all your diseases.”
Unfortunately there was no healing, and, sometime later, when I walked into the man’s hospital room, he greeted me with the comment, “You have deceived me too. There is no God.”
How do we respond to a statement like that? The Bible does say that God will heal our diseases. Jesus did claim that he came to proclaim recovery of sight for the blind. And Jesus did heal “many who had various diseases” and “drove out many demons” during his ministry here on earth.
Perhaps you wonder why Jesus did not bring healing to you or to someone you loved. We don’t know why Jesus does not bring healing to everyone. But this we know: Jesus came to bring healing, and he has power to heal. And his grace sustains us even when we must bear with illness. His healing miracles on earth are only a preview of things to come. His first coming was a sure sign that when he comes again, he will wipe all tears from our eyes (Revelation 21:4).
Father, we pray for all who are struggling with disease. Be close to those who are confined to their homes because of illness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the author — Arthur J. Schoonveld
Rev. Art Schoonveld is a retired minister in the Christian Reformed Church. Before retiring in 2001, he served churches in California, Illinois, and Michigan. Since his retirement he has worked part-time for the denomination and has served as an interim pastor. Art and his wife, Anita, have four children and nine grandchildren.
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