“Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And He healed every kind of disease and illness. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:35-36 NLT)
What do you think drove the multitudes to Jesus? Was it His charming personality? His beautiful voice? His handsome smile? His winsome manner? My sense is, they thronged to Him because they believed He could do something for them – teach them, encourage, feed, and heal them.
Things haven’t changed much over the centuries, have they? When do many people search for a church? Seek counseling? A doctor or hospital? In desperation! When they’re at their wits end! But why? Why are we so reluctant to come to the Lord when times are good and things are going well?
As we discussed in yesterday’s post, we like to be in control, even if that control leads us into great difficulty. We want to make our own decisions, and, ironically, there’s nothing innately wrong with that, if our decisions lead us to Jesus. Unfortunately, that doesn’t very often happen.
What if what we want and what Jesus wants are the same? I’m reminded of Matthew 11:28-30 when Jesus invites us to: “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Are you longing for healing – of your heart, mind, soul, or body? Come to the Healer! When your longing shifts from YOUR healing to HIS presence, you’ll find the answer to your greatest need. Most of those throngs of people who flocked after Jesus never followed through on learning to walk in humble submission to His authority in their life, but for those who did, their lives were never the same.
It’s a different context but think of Naaman in 2 Kings 5. He was a valued commander in the King of Aram’s army, but he had leprosy. A young slave girl suggested to the king’s wife that Naaman should go see the prophet, Elisha. “He would heal him of his leprosy,” she said.
One thing led to another and finally, Naaman agreed to go see Elisha. In typical “pomp and circumstance,” he arrives at Elisha’s house, expecting for Elisha to come out and heal him, but instead, he’s greeted by Elisha’s servant telling him: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.”
Naaman was not happy. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me!” but that wasn’t God’s plan. How many times do we pray with demands to “heal” us our way, but it doesn’t come, so we blame God.
Reluctantly, Naaman complies and is healed, and his life was forever changed because he was able to look beyond his healing to the Healer. Might that be what needs to happen in your life? Perhaps you need to shift your focus from healing your way to the desires of the Healer for you. Being yoked with Jesus is easy because He does most of the work, He bears most of the burden, but, in return, He expects us to go His way, in His time, and let Him make decisions about what He will do in and for us.
Stop longing for healing that may never come unless and until you turn your focus from your healing to your need of the Healer.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 