Daily Devotionals

Monday, March 8

Read: Mark 1:21-34

Consider: Of the four gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—Mark’s was the first to be written. He begins his account of Jesus’ life by establishing who Jesus is (1:1-8). He talks about his baptism, temptation and the calling of his first disciples (1:9-20). Then, within the first few paragraphs, Mark makes us aware of the fact that Jesus had power over evil and the power to heal (1:21-34). Before we hear any of Jesus’ teachings we see him delivering people from demonic oppression and healing their bodies. And these first few verses are not the end of it. Sprinkled throughout each of the gospel accounts are stories of encounters that Jesus had with those who needed and received his healing touch.

These stories inspire us. They increase our faith. But they also trouble us. Why, we ask, do we not see miraculous healings today? Or, if we do, why are they the exception rather than the rule? All of us have prayed for healing that has not taken place. As I began to write this morning I received a phone call informing me of a death. It was someone for whom we had been praying. We asked God to heal. But physical healing did not take place.

Many Christians shy away from the accounts of Jesus’ healing ministry. They’ve been disappointed, even devastated, when healing has not taken place. Yet, there is no escaping the fact that Jesus was a healer. While we all see that in the first century accounts, we often wrestle with the question of today. He was a healer. Is he still?

If you are sometimes baffled, you are not alone.

“The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, ‘What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.’ News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.” (1:27-28)

So we approach this question with humility, asking God to open our understanding and increase our faith. These accounts are in our New Testament for a reason. What is it that God wants us to understand? More importantly, how does he want us to live in light of the fact that he has this kind of authority?

Pray: “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalm 25:4-5)

Tuesday, March 9

Read: Matthew 8:1-4 and Mark 5:21-43

Consider: Three strange and wonderful healings—the man with leprosy, the woman subject to chronic bleeding (we’ll look at that on Friday), and the resurrection of a little girl from the dead.

What stands out to me about the first one and the third one are Jesus’ instructions after the healings took place…

To the man healed of leprosy Jesus said, “See that you don’t tell anyone” (Matthew 8:4).

After raising Jairus’ daughter “He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this” (Mark 5:43—this account is also found in Luke 8:40-56).

Can you imagine? You’ve just witnessed something beyond your wildest imagination. You’ve just seen something that no one else has ever seen. And now Jesus tells you to keep it to yourself. I’m guessing that Jairus and his family were exploding on the inside with the desire to tell the entire world what had just happened.

I don’t fully understand Jesus’ directives in these passages. But it helps me understand Jesus’ motivation for healing. He certainly wasn’t motivated by the desire to prove a point. He wasn’t grandstanding. (This seems to contrast greatly with some modern faith healers who make a production out each healing that they claim.) No, I see Jesus’ motivation as simple and pure. He loves us. It is his compassion that motivates him to heal.

We need to remember that. Sometimes we hesitate asking for healing because we think we’re not worthy, our faith is not strong enough or we have not done enough to deserve it. Those things are true. But we do not ask for healing based on our own strengths or weaknesses. We ask for healing because of his love.

Matthew stated it quite simply…

“…he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” (Matthew 14:14)

Approach him with confidence today because he loves you.

Pray: “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land… Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live…” (Psalm 63:1, 3-4)

Wednesday, March 10

Read: Mark 2:1-12

Consider: I remember hearing this story when I was a child. I remember thinking that it must have been quite a demolition project to cut a hole in the roof (but I was thinking about the roof at my house, not the roofs of the first century). I remember being impressed with the four men who did everything they could to get their friend to Jesus. How cool is that! But in hearing about the miracle of giving a paralyzed man the ability to walk, there was something that escaped my notice—the healing that Jesus thought was most important.

When Jesus looked at this man he saw a man who was spiritually disabled. The first thing Jesus wanted to mend was this man’s relationship with God. His first words to the man were…

“Son, your sins are forgiven.” (2:5)

Of course, that is the greatest miracle. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ make it possible for you and me to stand in the presence of God as though we had never sinned. Our sins are forgiven—“as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).

If anyone ever tells you that they have never witnessed a miraculous healing, ask them if they’ve ever seen sins forgiven. That is the most miraculous healing of all.

Pray: Thank God that he…

“…forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases…redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion…satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s…he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:3-5, 10-12)

Thank him for that kind of healing.

Thursday, March 11

Read: Luke 5:17-26

Consider: This is Luke’s account of the story we read yesterday from Mark. (Matthew also tells it in Matthew 9:1-8.)

On Tuesday I said that Jesus’ motivation for healing was not to make a statement or prove a point. I believe his motivation was his love and compassion. But in this story, we do see Jesus conveying a truth through physical healing. (I think he would have healed this man even if the Pharisees and teachers of the law had not been present.)

Jesus knew what those religious leaders were thinking (5:22). They were dumbfounded that Jesus would talk as though he could forgive sins. So Jesus put it to them very simply. What would be easier? Would it be easier to pronounce the man’s sins forgiven—something that could not be verified—or would it be easier to heal his legs? Obviously, it would be easier to hide behind unverifiable rhetoric. Like today, those people were used to charlatans who claimed to be speaking for God. But Jesus wanted them to “know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (5:24).

Compassion and forgiveness. Even in the midst of doubters and distracters, Jesus was centered on compassion resulting in forgiveness. No wonder the people were “filled with awe and said, ‘We have seen remarkable things today’” (5:26).

What do you think they saw as most remarkable—a life changed by the healing of legs or a life changed by the forgiveness of God? Which do you think is the greater miracle?

Pray: Thank Jesus that he “has authority on earth to forgive sins” (5:24). Thank him that he has this authority because he gave everything for you and me. Thank him that…

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Friday, March 12

Read: Luke 8:41-56

Consider: As in Mark’s account that we looked at Tuesday, in the middle of Luke’s story of Jairus’ daughter there is a healing that takes place on the way to Jairus’ home. This is fascinating because it appears that Jesus didn’t even consciously do this. After the healing took place we find Jesus looking for the one who was healed—“Who touched me?” he asked (8:45). I place this in the category of mystery that I probably can’t fully comprehend.

Jesus said something amazing to the woman…

“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” (8:48)

Some have interpreted this to mean that faith heals. It wasn’t faith that healed. It was Jesus who healed. But Jesus told her that her faith in him was instrumental in her healing. Had she not had the faith to come to Jesus she would not have received her healing.

Some have extrapolated from Jesus’ statement (and others like it in the gospels) that if you lack strong faith you cannot be healed. But the New Testament shows a variety of ways and circumstances in which Jesus healed. In one instance Jesus healed a child in response to the weak, faltering faith of his father (Mark 9:24). In another instance Jesus healed a servant in response to his master’s powerful yet simple faith—a faith that impressed Jesus (Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10).

Whether our faith is powerful or weak, strong or faltering, Jesus asks us to put our faith in him. He wants us to come to him for healing and to believe that we are doing the right thing to take our brokenness to him. So even if you lack great faith, take what faith you have in his love and compassion and pray for your healing and the healing of others.

Pray: Ask God to increase your faith. If you struggle with faith for healing, lean on your faith in God’s love and compassion.

Saturday, March 13

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:1-7, 50-58

Consider: As Isaiah prophesied the crucifixion of Jesus the Christ he wrote these words…

“He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

When Isaiah said, “by his wounds we are healed,” he was not talking about a temporary healing. Let’s be honest, all physical healing is temporary. Every one of the people who received physical healing at the hand of Jesus eventually died a physical death. Does that mean that Jesus is not a true healer?

No. As much as we believe in healing, we believe there is a greater miracle—resurrection. Jesus’ resurrection makes our resurrection possible. The New Testament speaks about a new heaven and a new earth. It speaks about us dwelling in new, whole bodies. The healing that Isaiah speaks about is the healing of the nations and the eternal healing that each one of us can experience.

“…then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

That is the message of resurrection.

Pray: “Lord, thank you for the message of healing. Thank you for the truth of resurrection.”

For small group discussion questions, click here.