Where Healing Is Found

"Don't be afraid; believe, and your daughter will be healed."

- Jesus (Luke 8:50)

I believe that our God is a healing God. I believe that Jesus is able to heal today just as he healed the sick in the Gospels. I believe that he can use various methods for his healing purposes, including everything from medical science and just plain common sense. 

So, then, why is it that I often pray for the sick without this attitude of faith? Why do I go through the motions so often? Given the unlikely occurrence, I would stake my earthly life on a confession of faith which included the Lord's power of healing, and yet in the solitude of prayer I often overlook or discredit his power to heal.

I should know better...not just because of Scripture and testimonies, but because I have experienced healing for myself. In the late fall of 2008 I became rather ill with a stomachache that wouldn't quit. I would wake up in the morning with greater discomfort than the day before, and the area of pain was growing, too. I eventually went to the ER and was referred to a specialist, who ordered a bunch of tests including scopes and such. The doctor told me that he found nothing wrong except some minor acid reflux. He gave me some medicine, some of which made me depressed and anxious (through that experience I believe the Lord taught me a little bit about what so many folks struggle with).

But the pain continued. Soon it was late December, and the constant pain had lasted for a couple of months. To complicate matters, I was about to go on a short-term mission trip to Brazil. Even though many believers around me had sacrificed to help me pay for the trip, I was about to drop out. It all came to a head on that last Sunday in December as I sat through the ordinary routine of the Lord's Supper ordinance. 

The deacon brought the bread. Should I stay or go? If I go, I will be in the middle of nowhere, and unable to speak the language. I already feel terrible...but what if I get really, really sick?

Then the deacon brought the cup, and the Lord quietly invaded my space with a question: "Do you believe that I can heal you?" "Yes, Lord, I do." "Then drink the cup with faith." So I drank it while praying for healing. I wish I could say the Lord healed me right then and there, but he didn't. He made me sweat it out a bit, like he did with Jairus in Luke 8. On the way home from church, I began to have a new thought: if I believe the Lord can heal me, I should probably go on this trip. So I went. 

When I arrived in Sao Paulo, my first thoughts had to do with spotting a nearby hospital...just in case. But by the end of the first day, I had totally forgotten about my sickness. I mean I totally forgot about it. It wasn't until I returned home several weeks later when someone asked me how my stomach felt that I remembered, and praised God right then and there. I had been healed.

Now, what was it that brought relief? When I visited the gastro doctor a few weeks later, he told me that he guessed it was a sickness caused by "self-limiting bacteria," and that the medicine finally did the trick after weeks or waiting. Maybe. Maybe it was the cuisine change in Brazil. Maybe it was psychosomatic. Or maybe it was miraculous and inexplicable. Here's what I know: regardless of how he did it, Jesus still did it. You want to find healing? Look for Jesus. His will doesn't always match up with our desires, but his will is always perfect. 

Book Review: Calling and Character

Calling and Character: Virtues of the Ordained Life
William H. Willimon
$13.99 at CBD

"The great ethical danger for clergy is not that we might 'burn out,'" writes William Willimon in Calling and Character. "Our danger is that we might 'black out,' that is to lose consciousness of why we are here and who we are called to be for Christ and his church." Thus Willimon summarizes the main argument of this relatively little book, a book which will certainly challenge all readers who are in vocational ministry positions to take their responsibilities and callings with the utmost seriousness.

Calling and Character was mandatory reading in the seminary, and I come back to it often for a reminder of why ministry leaders must always remain sober-minded and above reproach in the ministry, as the Apostle Paul once wrote to Timothy. This is serious subject matter, and the author tackles it seriously; although, in typical Willimon style, he also uses humor and interesting stories to hold the reader's attention.

To substantiate his case, Willimon crafts together a brief survey of Christian writings on what we might broadly term "clergy ethics," borrowing from such notable figures as Ambrose of Milan, Chrysostom (who's On Christian Priesthood plays a significant role in the book), and Martin Luther. As a result, Calling and Character is a treasure trove of time honored Christian thought in this often-neglected area of our faith.

A word of warning: this book is intended for clergy. The subtitle indicates that much right off the bat. Reading the book beyond the purview of vocational ministry could leave one concluding that Willimon overlooks ethics in the pews, and that he is guilty of segregating the pastor from his congregation. This isn't his intent.

I would certainly recommend Calling and Character to all who are in the ministry, regardless of how long you have served.
Use it for the glory of God and the edification of the saints. We have a high calling, but we also serve a God who is capable of supplying every one of our needs.