I've been trying to read The Passion of Jesus Christ by John Piper. It gives 50 reasons why Jesus came to die. The book is short, but I've had difficulty reading it. To me, it just seems to be saying the same thing and quoting the same Bible verses over and over again. I began skipping around and came to reason #18 which states that "Christ suffered and died to heal us from moral and physical sickness."
This chapter says that Christ suffered and died so that disease would one day be destroyed. Illness was not part of God's original plan for the world. It came to be when sin entered the world and is part of God's judgement on creation. The chapter goes on to state that Jesus healed many people in his lifetime and that this was a preview of what was to come at the end of history. There will be a new earth, and we will have new bodies.
All of this made me think of my younger son. When he was 2 1/2, he was diagnosed as being hard of hearing. He has worn hearing aids ever since. When he was about 7 or 8, he told me that he can't wait to go to Heaven because he'll be able to hear and not have to wear hearing aids anymore. Of course, this broke my heart. I would give anything for Jesus to come back right now so my little boy could be healed. (And to heal my other son who suffers from allergies.)
...Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. He looked up to heaven and...said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!"). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. Mark 7:33-35
Just think, one day everything that ails us will be no more! We will be made whole because Christ suffered and died on the cross for us. His death means everlasting life for us...a life without physical suffering. Jesus is our ultimate healer. ...and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
(Go here to read He Said Bird. This is a short essay I wrote about Cooper and posted on FaithWriters.com.)
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5 comments:
Jesus definitely healed all who came to him in faith during his ministry on earth. Now that he is in heaven, I believe our ultimate healing comes when we too go to heaven.
As a mother, I can imagine your heart's ache for a healing for your son. But sometimes God says "My grace is sufficient."
Thinking of your today.
Heaven will be so glorious won't it? Not an ounce of pain or suffering...not any type be it physical or emotional.
Hey...I haven't found homes for our kittens yet...but we have so many animal lovers in our church and neighbor hood that we usually have them homes in a few weeks.
How much does it cost to send a sweet little kitty to pennsylvania? lol
Suffering is one of those really tough things that's not any easier for a Christian than it is for anyone else. God works in ways we cannot see or understand, and though your son may not hear like others, he has clearly heard God's word and understands what it will mean for him to be healed, and Who will do it. That is a real blessing, Leslie!
It's a bummer when a Christian book doesn't "work out," for lack of better words. Everything pales next to the real Word, but you still want Christian books to carry strong, stirring messages in accompaniment. Your heart's in the right place, though.
Leslie I am praying for the group idea...knowing God can do great things through it!
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