A Sunday Meditation

Healing

A Short Text from Scripture

"Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your heritage, and the ends of the earth Your possession." Psalm 2:8

Excerpt from "Martin Luther Psalm by Psalm"

" . . . we should believe that by the authority of the Father, Christ was appointed Lord over all things so that salvation depends on Him alone . . . For God the Father is not preaching here about garlic & onions. He delivers all things into the hands of the Son so that those who believe in Him might be saved, but those who do not believe will be lost & condemned. Therefore the world, Satan, & our heart should not alarm us. We are indeed afflicted & oppressed in various ways, but the Son of God preceded us in this very course." [My emphasis added] *

My Thoughts

There are quite a few friends & family members who are suffering from current illnesses, lingering sorrow, & long recoveries. My heart goes out to them. I won't pretend to fully understand what they are experiencing, but I know what gives me confidence & hope in my own physical & mental health challenges.

This passage, along with Martin Luther's meditation, does NOT promise immediate or permanent relief from such temporal, or earthly, challenges. It DOES promise that Jesus Christ, our Lord & Savior, reigns supremes over all things earthly & also all things spiritually. God allows misfortunes to test us, seeking to draw us closer to His Word & in our prayer-life. He would have us participate in weekly worship & regular devotions--not because they earn us brownie points with Him or function as some sort of magic to heal us--but because worship, prayer, & scripture draw us closer to Him & His promises. Worshiping alongside fellow believers increases our encouragement & increases their encouragement as well.

God blesses others, including YOU, so that we may in turn may be blessings to those we love . . . to our brothers & sisters in Christ.

My Prayer Thoughts **

When to our world the Savior came the sick and helpless heard His name, and in their weakness longed to see the healing Christ of Galilee.

That good physician! Night and day the people thronged about His way; and wonder ran from soul to soul, 'The touch of Christ has made us whole!'

His praises then were heard and sung by opened ears and loosened tongue, while lightened eyes could see and know the healing Christ of long ago.

His sovereign purpose still remains who rose in power, and lives and reigns; till every tongue confess His praise, the healing Christ of all our days."

My Additional Prayer

Lord, I pray for my loved ones that you would bring healing of body, mind, & soul into their lives & hearts. Deliver us from what oppresses us, according to Your many promises, including deliverance from our sins, our weak faith, our helplessness. I praise You for You came into this world to bring healing to lost souls, & You are still with us today to do the same. I pray in Your name. Amen.

* SOURCE:  Martin Luther Psalm by Psalm, "Victory Will Be Ours," a devotion for January 23 (Concordia Publishing House:  2017).
** SOURCE:  Adapted from the Lutheran Service Book, Hymn #841, "O Son of God, in Galilee, sts 1, 2, 3, 4 (CPH:  2006).