Luke 8:52-56
"Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. 'Stop wailing,' Jesus said. 'She is not dead but asleep.' They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, 'My child, get up!' Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up."
When Jesus entered the house of the synagogue ruler, the atmosphere was bleak. Even though Jesus did arrive, the ruler's daughter was already dead, so it was too late. It became more saddening when someone complained that Jesus should have come earlier. As soon as Jesus entered the house, He told them to "stop wailing" and that "she is not dead but asleep." The crowd must have been shocked when they heard these words from Jesus, because no one heard such saying before. If you were there, what would have been your reaction? Would you believe what Jesus said?
It was indeed difficult to accept the word of the Lord based on human thinking and experience. Under such circumstance, we would easily hear the voice of the world more than the voice of the Lord. Jesus then kicked out all those who were laughing at him, because miracles happen in an environment of faith, and that's why Jesus often told those whom He healed that "your faith has saved you." The Bible even says that the Lord did not perform many miracles in His hometown Nazareth because people there did not believe in Him.
Faith is very important in the healing ministry. First of all, we must believe in God's word, because Isaiah 55:11 says that "my word that goes out from my mouth... will not return to me empty." The word of God is indeed true and trustworthy. When the Lord said "don't be afraid, just believe," we can rest in peace in His arms. When the Lord said the child was asleep, we should also believe, for believing in the promises of God is the first step in our life of faith. Also, we need to believe in God's work. Our Lord is not only a comforter, but also a healer and deliverer, for nothing is impossible in Him.
When you are praying for something, do you have genuine faith in the Lord? You need to learn to lock all your doubts and worries outside, and listen to the Lord's voice attentively. Once you hear it, you should proceed courageously, because you need to know that the Lord is always ahead of you. When you are praying, don't just keep on talking to God, but also learn to listen quietly, listen to the Lord's teaching and commands. Once you've heard, you should hold on to God's promise and keep on going! The word of the Lord will "not return," and His fervor will accomplish His work.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.