Friday, July 31, 2009

Dictation - July 31, 2009

Good Friday morning! The subject of faith healing has come up once more; this time as a man faces years in prison for the death of his child. You can read the details in your favorite news outlet, but the same subject has come up many times. We as a society seem to bemoan the loss of a traditional family out one side of our collective tongue while wanting to interfere in every part of the family out the other side. This may seem amusing on a Friday morning, but it isn't for those facing court trials for home schooling their children, refusing medical care, and other things that some consider their freedom in America. However, the question was about faith healing.

Why do we need doctors? Is it because like the ancient Israelites we wanted a new king so badly that God finally gave us what we asked for with our love of science? Is modern science the new Law, pointing to Jesus but unable to save us? I hope you are not anxiously awaiting one all-encompassing answer from me on this Friday morning. However, in thinking about healing in the Bible, people do have a point in reading how Jesus and the disciples healed and in wanting that same method for themselves. We read that Jesus healed with a word, a touch, or sometimes an action as with the blind man and the mud. Jesus' healing was always complete and without pain; something medical science has quite failed to attain. The question we should be asking though is: "Why do we feel that we should dictate the method of our healing to God?" If God sends doctors, dentists, nurses, and other medical professionals to heal us then we should be grateful. If God sends healing through our prayers and laying on of hands, then praise God!

How do we know which way to go then? Do we give up on God if we pray first and then go see a doctor? Does that mean our faith is too weak to heal us? You might look at it as seeking. Jesus told us that those who seek will find. God may want us to put some effort into seeking a cure. I have heard or read tales of healing through faith alone, through our medical science, through both together, and through using first one and then the other alone. Perhaps the one answer in all of this is to quit trying to dictate the method to God and start seeking. Strong faith in God is not as important as faith in a strong God!

Heavy thoughts for a Friday morning. I pray that you have a great weekend in Christ!

Bucky

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