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Faith and Miraculous Healing
Even a superficial reading of the Gospels shows that much of Jesus’ ministry involved miraculous healing: the sick, the blind, the dying, even the dead all were healed through the supernatural power of the Lord. In many cases, too, faith is treated as a prerequisite to the healing itself (Matt. 9:2, 22, 28, 29; 15:28).
In contrast, in some cases, disbelief was a deterrent to healing, as in Nazareth (Matt. 13:58; Mark 6:5,6). In one case when the disciples were unable to perform a healing, Jesus said it was because of their unbelief (Matt. 17:14–20).
The fact, however, that faith is such an important component in these miraculous healings has led some to believe that if an attempt at healing through prayer fails, it is because of a lack of faith on the part of the one who is sick. Yet, this is a very superficial and false understanding of faith and healing.
Read the following texts in which Jesus miraculously healed people. What do the texts say about the faith of those who were healed? What lessons can we take from these examples? Matt. 12:9–13, Luke 13:11–13, 14:2–4, 22:47–52.
In none of these texts is there any mention of faith on the part of those who were healed. This is not to diminish the role of faith in the question of miraculous healing; it is just to show that expressed faith is not always a crucial component.
The fact is that we do not understand why in some cases we can see what is obviously a supernatural intervention of the Lord for healing. In other cases, healing comes from natural processes, in which we justifiably can believe that the hand of the Lord is working in behalf of the sick through these means. And there always are those cases where, for reasons we do not understand, healing does not come as we have prayed for and would wish for. The good news for us as Adventist Christians, however, is that even in these latter cases, we still can trust in the love, mercy, and goodness of God, even amid the inexplicable tragedies that always are part of a fallen world.
How can we learn to trust in the Lord and in His love for us even when prayers for health and healing have not come as we would have liked?
| THURSDAY | May 6 |
Even a superficial reading of the Gospels shows that much of Jesus’ ministry involved miraculous healing: the sick, the blind, the dying, even the dead all were healed through the supernatural power of the Lord. In many cases, too, faith is treated as a prerequisite to the healing itself (Matt. 9:2, 22, 28, 29; 15:28).
In contrast, in some cases, disbelief was a deterrent to healing, as in Nazareth (Matt. 13:58; Mark 6:5,6). In one case when the disciples were unable to perform a healing, Jesus said it was because of their unbelief (Matt. 17:14–20).
The fact, however, that faith is such an important component in these miraculous healings has led some to believe that if an attempt at healing through prayer fails, it is because of a lack of faith on the part of the one who is sick. Yet, this is a very superficial and false understanding of faith and healing.
Read the following texts in which Jesus miraculously healed people. What do the texts say about the faith of those who were healed? What lessons can we take from these examples? Matt. 12:9–13, Luke 13:11–13, 14:2–4, 22:47–52.
In none of these texts is there any mention of faith on the part of those who were healed. This is not to diminish the role of faith in the question of miraculous healing; it is just to show that expressed faith is not always a crucial component.
The fact is that we do not understand why in some cases we can see what is obviously a supernatural intervention of the Lord for healing. In other cases, healing comes from natural processes, in which we justifiably can believe that the hand of the Lord is working in behalf of the sick through these means. And there always are those cases where, for reasons we do not understand, healing does not come as we have prayed for and would wish for. The good news for us as Adventist Christians, however, is that even in these latter cases, we still can trust in the love, mercy, and goodness of God, even amid the inexplicable tragedies that always are part of a fallen world.
How can we learn to trust in the Lord and in His love for us even when prayers for health and healing have not come as we would have liked?
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