healing

God Hears

I sat quietly alone on my loveseat with the gas fireplace roaring beside me. Though the TV was on, it was set to mute as I considered my next move. I glanced at my injured foot which was now in a “boot” resting on the coffee table in front of me. I sighed. No one else was home. I just wanted something cold to drink but knew how difficult it would be to hobble with my crutches into the kitchen and return with a cold satisfying drink.

So, my dilemma, as simply as it was: Should I relax my newly broken foot or did I really need a refreshing drink. To myself, yet out loud, I said in despair, “there is no one here to help me”.

Immediately my mind raced to the story of the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda. It is found in the 5th chapter of the Gospel of John. Apparently the sick, the lame and the blind would sit by a pool of water. It was said to have had healing powers when it was stirred – some translations state that it was stirred by angels.

Some scholars believe the pools were at a pagan shrine or temple honoring the Greek god or demigod Asclepius, the god of medicine or medicinal powers. It was said that the healing snakes stirred the waters. And the scholars contribute the medicinal powers and stirring of the water from bubbles that arose from the mineral springs. Others debunk this theory.  Regardless, a man sat by this pool of water for 38 years with no one to help him get in. He must have come to a place of despair.

It reads like this from the NIV translation:

Sometime later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.  One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” 

“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. John 5:1-9

What I found interesting about this story is that Jesus walked into the midst of a pagan shrine (if that was the case) not caring about the “protocol” of the day. According to scripture he only approached one individual and healed him, on the Sabbath mind you, which was also against Jewish tradition.

He heard the man’s heart even though the man never asked the Lord to help him. We have heard other stories where people called out to the Lord, but not in this circumstance.

God’s mercy and compassion for those in need, for those who cry out from their heart, is amazing.

It made me realize that he hears, even when we don’t speak. He hears even if an individual doesn’t realize who they are calling upon.

I don’t care if you are:

in a prison cell
amid a war-torn country
in a COVID ward
on center stage
looking in the wrong direction for help
rich and famous
poor and alone
amongst friends
amongst enemies
feeling lost
in a church family
in a cubical
homebound
living on the street
a drug addict
hopeless
or seem to have it together…. God hears the heart that cries to him.

Where do you find yourself today? What is your situation?

I am telling you DO NOT GIVE UP. DO NOT LOSE HEART. GOD HEARS!

Isaiah 65:24, “Before they call, I will answer. While they are still speaking, I will hear.” (NIV)

Psalm 139 explains that he knows everything about you and cares. He knew you before you did. And Romans 8 states that NOTHING can separate you from the love of God.

What are you waiting for? What can you lose?

Dear Lord, Hear those who are crying from their hearts, those in despair, those who are in need and even those who do not realize yet that they need you. Amen

By the way: I was able to grab that drink. I just had to guzzle it right there at the refrigerator. And then I hobbled on my crutches back to the loveseat to rest my foot on the coffee table.  And soon my family returned home. I am grateful that I have something to drink, a couch to sit on in a warm house, and for those who are caring for me, as I heal.

I am mostly grateful for God who will never leave or forsake me, who took the time to go out of his way to heal a paralyzed man thousands of years ago when he had no one to help him. God is the same yesterday, today and forever and so I am grateful that he continues to heal today.

Remember: He cares about every detail of your life…and loves you.

God bless.

Seek Him

“If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

We have heard this scripture many times, so many times perhaps, that it does not penetrate our hearts:

King Solomon had built the temple that his father, David, had in his heart. The Lord met with him in the night hour speaking words of promise to him. This is when the verse from 2 Chronicles originated. It was for the nation. It was for Solomon.

Many times, we, as believers, have congregated together and prayed this and sought the Lord for our land. We have repented for the sins that our country has adopted. We have wept and interceded. That is powerful. Moses did that for a people who had forsaken their God. Prophets did that for the nation of Israel. The voices of “God’s people” have reached heaven many times. And the Lord spared nations because of those pleas.

In fact, if you remember, Abraham asked the Lord to spare the city of Sodom if just 10 people were found righteous in that city. In the end, the Lord saved only four people. Then the city was destroyed.

God hears the cries of his people for a nation. But as I was reciting the above verse in 2 Chronicles, I noticed something. You know how you can read a verse over and over and each time the Lord will show you a different aspect?

In this verse, I noticed he was asking HIS people to seek him. He was asking HIS people to turn from “their” wicked ways. THEN he would hear from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land. Like I said earlier, it is so important to intercede for others, but this time I noticed that he wasn’t necessarily asking us to repent for what others were doing. He was asking us to repent from “OUR” wicked ways.

Suddenly I realized that the Lord was directing this to ME. I am called by him. I am responsible to turn to him, to seek him and to turn from MY wicked ways. I can pray for the nation and I can cry out for the Lord to forgive the nation for its sins (this is interceding and like I said, is part of the Christian walk) but this time I heard, “You are called by my name. Humble yourself. Seek me. Turn from “YOUR” wicked ways.” It became more personal.

Psalm 139:23 &24 (GWT) states, “Examine me, O God, and know my mind. Test me and know my thoughts. See whether I am on an evil path. THEN lead me on the everlasting path.”

The Lord takes us on a journey. He prepares us for a mission. He strengthens us when we are weary and cleanses our hearts from things that would distract us, things that would turn our hearts away from what he has for us. We are not here just to live, but to follow his voice for our lives.

Remember, he came to bring ABUNDANT life. It isn’t just about the best house, vacations and experiences. It is about KNOWING our LORD and drawing others to him.

So, I said:

“Lord cleanse my heart from anything I have in my heart that is not holy before your eyes. Cleanse my heart from anxious thoughts and distractions of this life that are whispering for my attention. Keep me on the straight and narrow. Help me to seek your face and hear your voice and show me if there is anything that is wicked in me. Forgive me Father (Why?) because, your ways are ALWAYS better than mine and you have a life full of abundance for me. Lord heal my heart. Heal me emotionally and physically in this hour so that I CAN intercede for those around me.” Amen.

During these hours, we should each be seeking our Lord so that we can be prepared to intercede on the behalf of others. Seek him.

God bless.