"That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon possessed... and Jesus healed many who had various diseases." Mark 1:32 & 34a
This sentence tucked in Mark is easy to overlook. Perhaps I saw it because I’d just helped prepare and serve a dinner to the families whose children were in the hospital. In the span of an hour I saw a mother who had lost her baby and another whose child had been miraculously brought back to life after over an hour of CPR. Both were believers.
This passage states all were brought to Jesus and many were healed. Not all, but many. Why? Were some more worthy than others? Did some not have enough faith? Were there unconfessed sins that blocked the healing power? Many who have had a loved one suffer and have not had their prayers of healing answered have asked similar questions. They are tough questions, but never let them be faith-destroying ones.
Faith should never be dependent on results. We cannot see the future or the mind of God. Faith tells us that, no matter what, our Lord is always in us and beside us to give us comfort, strength and peace. In the Epistles, Paul, Peter and others never prayed to be out of their situations. Instead, they prayed for God to see them through it. And He was faithful to do so. He still is. Healing is not always in the physical realm. This temporal home and body only lasts in a blink of an eye in comparison to the eternity of no sorrow and pain that awaits the believer.
Heavenly Lord, We cry out to you for healing. You, in Your wisdom, answer that prayer always, and healing does occur, sometimes in death, sometimes in the heart, sometimes in the body. Help us to see You in the midst of pain and suffering, be it physical, emotional or spiritual. Become our beacon to guide us through this life into the eternal light that awaits all believers in Your Son. Amen.
Take Action:
When illness grabs you or someone you love, pray to feel God draw close to you, and lean on His understanding, not your own. Watch for the little ways He lets you know He is there and He cares. Learn more about prayer in hard times.