Monday, July 25, 2011

John 6: 1-2. Everybody wants healing.

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick.

People always chase after the spectacular, especially if it involves healing. For Jesus the healing miracles were only a sign - that all things would be restored to the state before the Fall when there was no sickness; that the curse would be removed. It was a sign of the fulfilment of Isaiah 53 by the Christ. Yet people want the sign not the substance. Do they want to be cleansed within?

I saw in the newspaper today that slimmers seldom go back to their former svelte body shape. They still fatten up again when they stop dieting. So it is with sinners. Only the Holy Spirit wreaks a real change.

All those who were healed; even those who were raised from the dead had to die again. Undoubtedly Jesus had compassion on those who were suffering just as any modern doctor would, but there were plenty of sick people in Israel and Judah who were not healed when Jesus walked the land. It was not the main purpose of his time on earth. I hope that had I met him in Jerusalem, my request to him would not have been, "Cure my cancer," but "save my soul."

Today we have grand healing missions. I have to say that I think their priority is misplaced.

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