It was December 4th, 2022, shortly after our morning worship assembly, we loaded up in our vehicle to drive to the Highway 65 church of Christ in Conway for their annual congregational singing with brother Tim Stevens. It was announced that there were approximately 250 people in attendance that afternoon. During the singing, brothers Tim Stevens and Todd Dennis would take turns during the services of leading songs. During the invitation, Tim told the story of what all has been happening with his family over the past year. In short, his wife had been very sick. He told of a instance when they had brethren traveling through the area who would call to see if they could stop by to visit for just a few minutes. In one of those visits, one of the brethren who stopped by had prayed to God in such a manner that had a major impact on Tim. He said that this man spoke to God like he had never heard anyone ever speak to God. He said, “God, we know that you can heal this girl if it is Your will. It is not that we think you can do it, we KNOW you can do it.” What we see with this kind of prayer is the driving force in our faith with such prayer. Speaking to God with this kind of confidence and trust is what helps those who find themselves at their lowest moment, when they are most vulnerable, this kind of faith drives a person directly to God. In doing so, we are saying to God through our actions that we are His, and whatever His will is, then let it be! Tim has made it known that the doctor’s did not give his wife much of a chance to live. She had about two months and she appears to be doing well. She was well enough to make the trip to Conway for the congregational singing.
Stories like these are not told in order to glorify the Stevens’ family. They are passed along in order to glorify God. Even in the moments when tragedy strikes, and things do not go as we would like for them to go. We can always find a way to glorify God even when it hurts the most. We can find a similar story in scripture about a woman being healed by Jesus. Yes, Jesus provided a physical healing to this woman in scripture, but we also have the truth regarding our spiritual healing that takes place through the blood of Jesus.
Mark 5:25-26 A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, (26) and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse
I am sure that there are some who read these verses and can completely understand what this woman is going through. The stress, frustration, and feeling of hopelessness that this woman must have felt. It must have been overwhelming! The people and things that she trusted had failed her. In fact, her condition worsens! This happens in our lives more often than we realize.
Mark 5:27-29 after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. (28) For she had been saying to herself, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” (29) And immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
I want us to understand that there is a spiritual reality for us within this text. Yes, this woman was made well, physically. The same is also true for us in the sense of our spiritual lives. If we want to be made well, we must humble ourselves to this very point that this woman did. After hearing about Jesus and what all he could do, she knew that only He could heal her of her disease. I have heard some say that this was her saying “I do not have anything to lose so why not” but I don’t believe that to be the case at all. If she truly felt that way, then was her faith in Jesus at all? The text doesn’t suggest that was her attitude. The text clearly shows us that she is relying upon Jesus for everything.
Mark 5:34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be cured of your disease.”
If we wish to be made well, we must not rely upon ourselves or others. We have to rely on Christ!
In order for us to be made well, we must realize that we are sick. In John 5:6, Jesus asked a man who had been suffering for 38 years if he wanted to be made well. He didn’t ask the man whether or not he knew if he was sick. The man clearly knew the condition he was in. When we realize that we are in sin (sick), we have to go to Jesus to be healed.
Does this excuse us from any action on our part? Reading about the woman in Mark 5 shows us that she had to seek out Jesus and not only did she do that, but she touched His garment. This was not a matter of her just “thinking about Jesus” in her mind. She acted upon her faith that Jesus could heal her. The same is also true for the man in John 5. Jesus told that man to get up and walk. What did the man do? He responded in obedience!
Do we want to be truly healed? If so, we must respond in faith. Our faith will make us well. Come to Jesus in faith (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6; John 8:24), repentance (Acts 17:30; Acts 2:38) and baptism (Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3-6; 1 Peter 3:21). You can be made well!
-Lee Elkins
