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My heart beats for love. I want to be different. I want to be who I am called to be. WORTHY and LOVED!

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Healing Meditation

As Christians we proclaim that we believe in healing. But do we live as if we believe this? Healing has gotten a bad reputation over the years, and for several good reasons. Because we have all heard people proclaim that “if only you had more faith” you wouldn’t be sick or your loved one wouldn’t have died. We have seen the news articles about people who discontinued treatments as a mark of their faith in the healing of Christ - only to have things not work out as they hoped.
So now we approach healing with caution. Saying that it will only happen if it is the will of God. Some may even doubt that God wants to heal us. 
But this scripture lesson reminds us that we do worship a Lord who heals. Who didn’t just heal long ago for signs and wonders, but heals us today. Heals us in so many ways. May even heal our deepest hidden places where we didn’t admit we need healing.
The truth is that our bodies are frail. And that we all have struggles. And we are all in need of healing at one time or another. But today’s scripture reminds us that healing isn’t just for us, to satisfy our wants and needs, but for the praise of the Kingdom of God. Not just right after we are healed but forever.
For healing changes our lives. It propels us into a different place with our relationship with God. Sends us forth to be his disciples.
But this morning in worship at this parish we also discussed how healing is risky. We may just get what we pray for and it may change our lives. Our relationships. Our way of relating to God. Healing can be messy.
Even with its messiness I have been captivated by healing for quite some time. My fascination with healing first came when I was in college, attending a very large prayer service conference. One of the friends I was with was having deep, personal struggle. After about an hour she went to be prayed for, seeking healing, only to be turned away by the healing prayer team - because they didn’t pray for things like that. Didn’t believe that she could be healed of her struggles.
Every time I think back on that event I am caught between wanting to scream in anger and cry with grief. The prayer team that day didn’t get it. Didn’t get what healing prayer is about. They were like the disciples asking “who sinned this man or his parents that he was born blind?” Not seeing with the eyes of Jesus the opportunity at hand. The opportunity to be a channel of love and grace.
We seek healing to be able to see the light of the world, Jesus Christ. We seek healing to have love and grace lavished upon us. Will there be times that we don’t get exactly what we are asking for? Yes. But I firmly believe that it is because God wants to heal us in an even more powerful way. 

Let us reclaim our faith in the healing power of Jesus Christ, brothers and sisters. Let us come and be prayed over by people who love us, who are on this journey of faith with us. Let us come and receive what God has for. And then may we go forth and proclaim our stories of healing for the glory of God. Amen. 

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