[June 27]--Does God Still Heal Today?

Exodus 15:25-26

When we looked at the book of Deuteronomy, we talked a bit about providence, the ways in which God usually works in the world. There are times in which he operates openly, like when the Israelites were in the desert. For forty years, he directly fed them Manna: They walked outside every morning and there was their food for the day, literally fallen out of the sky.

But when they were about to enter the Promised Land, he warned them not to forget him. They were about to enter a land where the Manna stopped, and they'd have to plant, weed, and harvest their food. But when they were eating, they had to remember that it was the Lord who'd given them the ability and resources to feed themselves. He'd provided the sun, the rain, the soil, the seed, and had made the seeds grow. He'd also given them the strength to physically do all this.

It’s the same principle with healing. Do I believe that God still heals miraculously today? Of course I do. But most of the time he works through natural processes. When you catch a cold, the normal process is for your body to fight off the microscopic invaders with a natural defense system: antibodies, white blood cells, etc. Where do you think that process came from? Or when you go to a doctor and he prescribes medicine—Where do you think his medical knowledge and skill came from? Who do you think inspired the medical researcher who came up with the treatment?

Can Christians expect perfect health today? Is that something that our Father's promised us? No, I don’t think so. As you might've figured out by now, we live in a sin-infected word, and disease and injury are part of it. Jesus didn't come to erase all of the immediate physical effects of sin in this world.

On the other hand, being healthier is a benefit of being a believer. If you’re living a godly lifestyle, then what does that mean? You won’t be smoking like a chimney, you won’t be overeating like a glutton, and you’ll be sticking to God’s plan for sexuality. If you practice self-control like the Bible tells us to, in general you’ll be healthier than someone who doesn’t. On the other hand, if you fail to practice self-control, you might be in danger of Prov. 19:3 being applied to you.

Father, I thank you that you are Yahweh Rapha, the God who heals us. I take that for granted so often, and I forget to be grateful for your blessings. You're so good to me.