Jesus, Our Healer
“When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” — Luke 7:1-9
Whilst no upbringing is perfect, mine felt pretty close. I’ve had the privilege of growing up in a wonderful family who love Jesus. There was always food on the table. There was always nice clothes to wear. I never heard swearing in the home. I never saw drugs or alcohol. My life was pretty sheltered. Perhaps this is why my sisters’ diagnosis last year hit me so hard. Suddenly, something really bad was happening to someone I really loved.
Perhaps the worst day of my life was the day I took Soph to what was supposed to be a routine appointment at the hospital. It was not routine. It was traumatic and painful for her. And it was traumatic and painful for me to watch. After being told she likely had a cancerous tumour; taking several bottles of her blood and giving her a box full of injections to administer daily at home, we left the hospital with tears in our eyes and a heart full of questions. Did you not hear our prayers, Lord? Why do things seem to be getting worse? Where are you? Are you more powerful than this diagnosis? Do you even care?
This passage in Luke answers many of the questions I had during this season. It shows us that Jesus, even when surrounded by crowds, was willing to go to where one sick man was. It made no difference to Jesus that the man was a servant. He did not consider himself too important or too busy to go to the one sick man. This is good news for us today. Jesus has compassion for each one of us. Jesus cared for the servant. Jesus cares for my sister. Jesus cares for you and your family members. What is more, he is willing to leave everything to come and meet you where you are if you but ask.
Like the elders who went to Jesus, I found myself crying out to God on Soph’s behalf, ‘Lord, she doesn’t deserve sickness. She deserves to have you heal her. She has lived a good life, she loves you’. I don’t believe we can impress God with our CV. I don’t believe he agreed to go with the elders in the story because the servant was a “good man”. I do believe that Jesus responds to earnest pleading. I believe our desperation moves the heart of God. Amongst the crowds that surrounded him, there were probably many sick people that day. Yet, Jesus responded to the one who asked him for healing. We can have hope that if we earnestly ask God for healing, he will respond to us (Matthew 7:7)
Not only does Jesus care about our individual battles with health, he has the power to do something about it. Like the Centurion was an army officer commanding one hundred men, we serve the God of angel armies (2 Kings 6). He commands every other authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Somehow, the Centurion recognised this about Jesus. He knew that one word from Jesus’ mouth was enough. Though the doctors spoke words over my sister, Jesus’ words are more powerful. His words have authority over every diagnosis and every label.
Nearly nine months on, my sister has had successful surgery to remove the tumour which turned out to be benign. Her symptoms have slowly disappeared, and she believes her body to be producing the hormones it is supposed to and is slowly weaning of all medication.
This story in Luke shows us that bad things can happen to good people. Faith in Jesus is not immunity from the suffering of this world. But we can take comfort in the fact that there is one who is willing to meet us where we are. He is not too busy. He is not indifferent. Not only is he willing to come, he has the power to heal us. The one who spoke the sun into being can speak health into our mortal bodies.
Payer:
Father, we acknowledge that Jesus has been given authority over everything in heaven and on earth. We earnestly plead on behalf of those we know and love who are sick today. Thank you that your heart is moved at the sound of our voice. Jesus, you are our healer, Amen.
- Bethany Milne
Whilst no upbringing is perfect, mine felt pretty close. I’ve had the privilege of growing up in a wonderful family who love Jesus. There was always food on the table. There was always nice clothes to wear. I never heard swearing in the home. I never saw drugs or alcohol. My life was pretty sheltered. Perhaps this is why my sisters’ diagnosis last year hit me so hard. Suddenly, something really bad was happening to someone I really loved.
Perhaps the worst day of my life was the day I took Soph to what was supposed to be a routine appointment at the hospital. It was not routine. It was traumatic and painful for her. And it was traumatic and painful for me to watch. After being told she likely had a cancerous tumour; taking several bottles of her blood and giving her a box full of injections to administer daily at home, we left the hospital with tears in our eyes and a heart full of questions. Did you not hear our prayers, Lord? Why do things seem to be getting worse? Where are you? Are you more powerful than this diagnosis? Do you even care?
This passage in Luke answers many of the questions I had during this season. It shows us that Jesus, even when surrounded by crowds, was willing to go to where one sick man was. It made no difference to Jesus that the man was a servant. He did not consider himself too important or too busy to go to the one sick man. This is good news for us today. Jesus has compassion for each one of us. Jesus cared for the servant. Jesus cares for my sister. Jesus cares for you and your family members. What is more, he is willing to leave everything to come and meet you where you are if you but ask.
Like the elders who went to Jesus, I found myself crying out to God on Soph’s behalf, ‘Lord, she doesn’t deserve sickness. She deserves to have you heal her. She has lived a good life, she loves you’. I don’t believe we can impress God with our CV. I don’t believe he agreed to go with the elders in the story because the servant was a “good man”. I do believe that Jesus responds to earnest pleading. I believe our desperation moves the heart of God. Amongst the crowds that surrounded him, there were probably many sick people that day. Yet, Jesus responded to the one who asked him for healing. We can have hope that if we earnestly ask God for healing, he will respond to us (Matthew 7:7)
Not only does Jesus care about our individual battles with health, he has the power to do something about it. Like the Centurion was an army officer commanding one hundred men, we serve the God of angel armies (2 Kings 6). He commands every other authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Somehow, the Centurion recognised this about Jesus. He knew that one word from Jesus’ mouth was enough. Though the doctors spoke words over my sister, Jesus’ words are more powerful. His words have authority over every diagnosis and every label.
Nearly nine months on, my sister has had successful surgery to remove the tumour which turned out to be benign. Her symptoms have slowly disappeared, and she believes her body to be producing the hormones it is supposed to and is slowly weaning of all medication.
This story in Luke shows us that bad things can happen to good people. Faith in Jesus is not immunity from the suffering of this world. But we can take comfort in the fact that there is one who is willing to meet us where we are. He is not too busy. He is not indifferent. Not only is he willing to come, he has the power to heal us. The one who spoke the sun into being can speak health into our mortal bodies.
Payer:
Father, we acknowledge that Jesus has been given authority over everything in heaven and on earth. We earnestly plead on behalf of those we know and love who are sick today. Thank you that your heart is moved at the sound of our voice. Jesus, you are our healer, Amen.
- Bethany Milne
1 Comment
Much encouraged by this, esp recognising that Jesus went after the one, when He had crowds around him and an agenda. He put it all down for this servant. So much heart.