The Healing Ministry

Here we enter the second week of Lent, as we focus on walking in the footsteps of Jesus. This is a time where we can focus on what it means to become more Christ-like in our lives. We turn our attention to the healing ministry of Jesus and what this says about living a Christ-like life. Jesus healed many, he healed little girls, young men, middle aged women, even people who were dead. Jesus healed Jews and Gentiles alike. Jesus healed lepers, paralytics, mutes, those who were blind and deaf, and certainly those suffering from mental illness. But Jesus also healed a centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother in law, Jairus’ daughter, Bartimaeus, the servant of a high priest, and Lazarus. But even with this list, and the many that are not on this list, we must also acknowledge that he also healed you and me! Jesus offers physical healing, emotional healing, and spiritual healing.

So now that we have this exhaustive list of who Jesus healed, we should ask the other question, why? Why did Jesus heal? What was the point of the healings? “So that.” A simple phrase that can complete our prayers as we respond with reasons, implications, or hopes we have in the outcomes. Jesus healed so that those who were healed would believe in him, so that they would follow him, so that they would become a disciple, and so that they would testify to the change in their lives. So that they would become a witness, proclaiming the good news of the Gospel.

All of this would certainly be true, but I think the number one reason of why Jesus healed these people, was because he loved them. He didn’t like seeing them in pain, hurting, depressed, or lost. As we walk in Jesus’ footsteps during our Lenten journey, we see that in this healing ministry, that there are many people, from many different walks of life, many different backgrounds, but yet all were treated the same by Jesus. Jesus shows compassion on those he encountered. Jesus loved all people. Jesus showed value to those whom he healed.

There was the time when Jesus was on his way to heal Jairus’ daughter. It would seem that this was a pretty big deal and one that he should have made a quick journey right to Jairus’ house, but as he is walking through a large crowd, a woman touches him. A woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years touches Jesus and is immediately healed. But instead of rushing on through the crowd, Jesus stops and looks for this person who touched him. He stops and shows the crowd that this woman has value. Jesus shows compassion on this woman whom he loved.

Do we ever slow down or even stop what we are doing? Do we ever put things aside? Do we ever put our phones away long enough to truly listen and show the other people in our lives that they have value, that they are loved by us, and that they are loved by God? We should love all people and show them they have value. The way we can do this by sharing our resources. We can give of ourselves, of our time, money, and prayers. We can spend some time talking with someone who seems to be having a rough day. We can offer to pray for people, listen to them, and advocate for them. Speak up when we see injustices. Stand up and encourage when it is needed.

This is what it means to be more like Christ. But there’s more. We are called to be healers. John 14:12 tells us that even though Jesus has come and done great things through his healings, we will do greater things. We are given the power through the Holy Spirit to participate in these healings, whether it be physical through doctors, nurses, and medicine; emotional through listening and conversations; or spiritual through participating in God’s salvation plan for this world.

We are called to be instruments of God’s healing. I encourage you to be the vessel that God uses today to bring healing to someone’s life. Pray that God will bring that person into your life, place them in your path, bring their name to your mind, so that you can participate in the miraculous healing that God wants to give. Let us continue to be more Christ-like as we travel this journey of Lent. Let us truly show compassion, love, and value to others around us. And finally, let us be instruments of God’s healing.