MERIDIAN MINUTE no. 7

MERIDIAN MINUTE  no. 7 

Photo looking east from creek bank by farm.

“Jesus turned and saw her.

‘Take heart daughter,’ he said,

 ‘Your faith has healed you.’

And the woman was healed from that moment.’

                                                      Matthew 9:22

~Compassion and Healing~

A woman told the story about her healing of a physical ailment of the skin that had caused her much distress. A school teacher by occupation, the constant rashes were an annoyance and embarrassment, the lesions were obvious to her students and others. This woman decided to stake a claim on three verses of scripture, the above verse being one of them, and pray for her physical healing. She began to ask God for her healing. “Prepare yourself for My healing,”  was the thought she would receive in response to her pleas. A date was selected a couple of months away. She pictured herself being healed of the skin disorder, how her skin would look once healed.  She would not allow herself to disbelieve. 

The day arrived. When she got up that morning she looked at her arms and face, the redness and irritation seemed to have lessened but the rash was still there. She claimed her healing, repeating the prayer out loud. The day went on. The evening came, again she looked in the mirror. Clear skin. Miraculous! It was obvious that God had acted on her faith and prayers. Her skin has remained clear. I read her personal account in an inspirational magazine. A few months later a follow-up comment was referenced to this story, another woman wrote saying that she had prayed the same verses in trust of God’s healing power. She as well, had received God’s healing touch.

God heals. He does. God acts on prayers. He does. God cares. He does, he most assuredly does! “Take care, sweet child of God” I can almost hear Him say, for He loves us so dearly. His words are gentle. They are. His actions are kind. They are. Christ is attractive, compelling, intelligent, soft-spoken, real. He is. He also keeps us guessing. He does. It is not for us to know how He will respond to our prayers. But we do know this, He always will respond. Another truism, God answers through the use of time. His relationship to time is different than it is for us. God is never in a rush but He is always on time.

I want you to know an important truth, the most important truth of all. God loves you. He does. He loves you so much. You may not need physical healing, but you do need healing. Deep inside of you hidden by your outward facade, is that part of you that needs healing. It does. God says, “Take heart my child, your faith has healed you.” His arms are wide, open, waiting to fold you into His loving embrace. “I love you. Come to me. Believe in Me. I will forgive your sins, heal your heart, and set you free.” His gift to you is Himself, His healing salvation, His life in your life. You will be healed, in that quiet shrouded place where your deepest longing for significance and meaning resides. When Christ comes in, really comes in, the emptiness abates. Life becomes meaningful. God wants to repair, restore, and renew you. He does. 
God loves you.

Jesus loves me, this I know
For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to him belong

They are weak, but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me

Yes, Jesus loves me

Yes, Jesus loves me

The Bible tells me so.

And yes, He does.