Over the past two weeks, I have been sick with some kind of unknown virus. My hubby and I have both been struggling to get over this virus with strange symptoms. It seems that the symptoms change not only day-to-day but almost hour-by-hour. Now it has not quite been every hour, but I have certainly noticed different symptoms affecting me at several different points throughout the day. The symptoms ranging from being overly tired to just not feeling right to feeling congested seem to come and go randomly as they see fit.
This morning my energy level is finally almost back to normal (I actually felt like getting out of bed this morning and feel like doing something today), but I still have a little bit of congestion. I cannot seem to cough it all out of my chest. This weekend was a fairly “normal” weekend for us with all of the activity of parents with three children who are renovating a home so I really didn’t have much to write about this morning. I was praying and asking God what to write about today and He pointed me to some scriptures about sickness.
As I read these scriptures, God spoke to me so clearly about His intentions toward His people, even when we sin. He loves us so dearly. Matthew 8:16-17 tells us Jesus healed our sickness to fulfill Isaiah 53:4. Let’s also read a little further in Isaiah 53 to hear what Jesus has accomplished for us because of His great love for us!
Matthew 8:16-17
That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said [in Isaiah 53:4], “He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.”
That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said [in Isaiah 53:4], “He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.”
Isaiah 53:4-6
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.
He took our sickness in His body so we can be well. I don’t believe this is just speaking to our physical sicknesses but also to emotional and spiritual sickness as well. Sin is anything we do that separates us from God. When we sin, we become spiritually sick. But that is not the end of the story. James 5:13-18 tells us a little about this issue.
James 5:13-18 [emphasis mine]
Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.
Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.
You see, James tells us that we will be healed when we are sick if our sins are forgiven. How are our sins forgiven? Confession! What exactly is confession? It is owning up to our own failings, asking God to forgive us, and then walking in God’s grace. It does not require groveling and weeping and pouring over our sin. It is my belief that the world does not want the Jesus we have to offer because of the way we present Jesus to them. It seems that there is a disconnect in this message of confession. No one wants to join a group of people who are judgmental when they see someone sin and then that person doesn’t immediately put on sackcloth and ashes while sitting around groaning “Woe is me! I am not worthy. Please forgive me. I have failed you. Help me live right.”
When we present the message that forgiveness is offered freely when we admit our failings and then walk in that forgiveness, the faith is a much more easily attainable faith to walk in. This is the gospel message and I want you to know today that this is the true message God is sending us. While searching the scriptures and praying this morning, I felt Him speak gently into my soul that He wants people to know that His desire is to heal people, not just physically the way I need healing today, but also spiritually. You see, I know that I need a spiritual healing every day because I was born with the sin nature. I have to come to Him daily. And He heals me spiritually and sets my feet on solid ground to walk with Him freely.
Isaiah 57:18a
I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them.
I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them.
You see, God knows our sin. But His desire is to heal us and lead us anyway! That word spoke such love to me this morning. He reminded me that no matter what I do, He loves me. And He loves you no matter what, too!
Psalm 73:26
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
You see that even David, the king who had an affair with Bathsheba and then had her husband put on the front lines to be killed, came back to God and declared that God is the strength of His heart. I echo that this morning in my physical sickness because I know that I am weak, and yet, God is strong in me! But as I echoed this about my physical sickness, I began to echo this regarding my spiritual weakness. I am weak without God’s strength in my life. Let God be your strength today!
I would like to conclude with an encouragement to you from God’s word.
John 16:33 [Jesus speaking]
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Romans 8:37-39
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In His Grace!
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I welcome your comments and honest discussion for the purpose of edification. Please keep your discussions civil as any comments that berate one another will be removed. May we all encourage one another in the Lord, acting in love, as He desires us to do. If you are not a Christian, you are welcome to post comments and questions here, but be considerate of those with differing beliefs.
In His Grace!