Hope for Healing
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Key Verse: “He said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” Selected Scripture: |
FAITH IS AN ESSENTIAL element of Christian character. “Without faith it is impossible to please him [God].” (Heb. 11:6) The Lord Jesus gave us a wonderful example of the importance of having a strong faith, when he rewarded this woman by healing her. As we recall from the account recorded, beginning with Luke 8:43, she had been sick for twelve years, and had spent all of her livelihood on physicians without any results. In simple faith, and reliance upon the testimony of Christ, she came to Jesus, so fully assured of his power that she did not wait even to call attention to herself. As the multitudes thronged around Jesus, she said; “If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.”—Matt. 9:21
It is evident from our lesson that when people desperately seek healing and wholeness, they may simultaneously experience hope and despair. The close relationship between faith and healing can be found in Jesus’ words, ‘thy faith hath made thee whole.’ It is also evident in Jesus’ challenge to Jairus, to have and maintain faith in the crisis of a dying daughter, when this miracle was immediately followed by another, still more wonderful miracle, the raising of the dead to life.
We read, “Behold, there came a man named Jairus, … and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house; For he had one only daughter, … and she lay a dying.” (Luke 8:41,42) Since the crowd was so large, Jesus could not get to the house, and the girl died. Verses 50 to 52 tell us that when Jesus heard about it, he said, “Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. And when he came into the house, … all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.” Jesus knew that she was dead. However, as in the case of Lazarus, our Lord referred to death as a sleep. (John 11:11-14) Jesus then “took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. … and she arose.”—vss. 54,55
Those who believe in Christ, believe the testimony which God gave concerning his Son through Christ’s own teachings and the mighty works which God displayed through him, to the end that men might confidently believe and have hope. Our Lord Jesus was rewarding their faith and gave them evidence of his mighty power.
To believe Jesus in those days, when his marvelous works astonished the people, and the beauty of his character impressed so many, was most reasonable upon those of simple hearts, who desired only to know the truth of God and to obey it. We read, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence [realization] of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1) Our hope finds a foundation—finds in faith—a basis or understanding because it rests on a Divine promise. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Eph.2:8) The evidences—the foundation of faith in Christ—are just as reliable today as they were then. In our own lives, we should seek to see how well we are striving to develop a strong faith, and to demonstrate it in our daily experiences. We should give thanks to God for being such a wonderful, loving Heavenly Father, who, though so far above us, desires our love and confidence. We should also be thankful for Jesus’ ministry of compassion at work in our lives.