Lord, You sent Your Word and healed me; You deliver me from all destruction.
You are Jehovah Rapha, the Lord God, my Healer. Thank You for healing me.
Focus of the Month: Promises, Promises
Feeling feverish and chilled simultaneously, you wrap yourself tighter in your sweater. Body aches scream as your head pounds with every heartbeat. You don’t have time to be sick… Your mom is having surgery. Your friend just received a cancer diagnosis. Your sister is writhing from an autoimmune disorder. Your cousin is overwhelmed with depression. Your niece has succumbed to addiction. Suffering, pain, sickness seem to be all around you. How can this be, if God is truly Jehovah Rapha – the Lord who heals?
Many times when faced with symptoms and sufferings of sicknesses, our minds immediately go to introspective examination of what we may have done wrong to cause this sickness. Sometimes the answers are very clear. After all, there are real consequences for our bad choices. If we exhaust ourselves, our immune systems weaken and we become unable to fight off everyday germs. If we smoke, we risk polluting our lungs and developing cancer. On and on, we can determine real, intellectual, scientific causes of sicknesses. Sometimes, however, we find no reason for the sufferings, and we become consumed with asking, “Why me?”.
Regardless of finding a cause or not, there is a truth – a promise – we can cling to that never changes and never fails. In Exodus 15:26, God Himself says, “For I am the Lord who heals you.” The title He uses is “Jehovah Rapha.” The word “Rapha” means “to heal, to cure, to restore.” God is our Healer; our Great Physician; our Restorer. So when faced with real viruses, illnesses, diseases, torments, and addictions, how can we know God will heal, cure, restore us?
This is where our part comes. It’s not so much in what we do, although it is important we make good, healthy choices. It has more to do with what we believe. Jesus said, “All things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23). In Luke 8:50, Jesus said, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” Jesus encourages us in Mark 11:24 saying, “Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Our beliefs are key in the fulfillment of all of God’s promises. Hebrews 11:1 tells us “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” When faced with symptoms, are we hoping to be healed? Are we seeing ourselves cured? Do we expect to be restored? Knowing God identifies Himself as our Healer is a start to obtaining this promise of healing. And there are so many more scriptures to encourage us in His willingness to fulfill this promise for us!
Psalm 30:2 “Oh Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You have healed me.”
Psalm 103:2-3 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases.”
Matthew 12:15b “And many followed Him, and He healed them all.”
Mark 5:34 “And He said to her, ‘ Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.'”
1 Peter 2:24 – “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.”
Know God is your Healer. He has made the way for all of us to be healed, cured, restored. When symptoms strike, yes – seek medical help and treatment. But at the same time, keep your faith alive that by the stripes of Jesus, you are healed. Believe. Hope. Trust. He has sent His Word so that we can be healed.
Holding Fast to Hope,
Maryann
Scripture References: Psalm 107:20; Isaiah 53:4-5; Matthew 4:23-24; Matthew 9:27-34; Mark 5:1-4; Luke 6:17-19
