Cured

"Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed." Hebrews 12:12-13

 I once worked for a chiropractor. As a newly single mom, I grabbed the job out of sheer desperation. At first, I was skeptical of chiropractic care. My boss, Dr. Ben, schooled me in the foundations of this healing practice. Little by little my disbelief vanished. I observed people gnarled with pain, bent over and grimacing, straighten to their normal height. Eventually my whole family surrendered to what they had once mocked. How can anyone deny the relief which evolves from hurting to healing? We certainly believed.

People, who don’t understand our Lord as Healer, never benefit from the pain He takes and exchanges for the gift of true healing. Surrendering back breaking burdens at His feet, we leave with a straighter posture and position. He is the lifter of our heads and the healer of our hearts.

Can the burdens we carry in our minds and hearts affect our bodies? Doctors report many physical illnesses are the cause of internal stressors. When we hold onto hurt, anger, and un-forgiveness our bodies become prisons of pain. When a breakdown occurs emotionally and physically, we end up heading for either a doctor’s office or a counselor. I heard the fastest growing form of Christianity is Christian counseling. People flock to someone who can help uncover the source of mental or emotional anguish they are experiencing. Surrendering and uncovering past and present turmoil is a prescription for healing. 

I am a proponent of Christian counseling. I am also an advocate of dropping at the feet of the One True Healer, Jesus. Often enough the position of being prostrate at His feet ensures a head held high posture. He lifts the damaged emotions and pain. He restores. He cures. 

Poolside Living

You've heard of the Pool of Bethesda. The story in John 5:1-15 tells of this place where those who needed healing came in hopes of being made whole. The word Bethesda actually means house or place of mercy. I'm reminded of the song that says,"I'm running, I'm running, I'm running to the Mercy Seat, where Jesus is calling..." The only difference between the song and this story is that most of the infirmed mentioned here probably could not run to this place of needed mercy. The"certain man" noticed by Jesus had to have someone carry him to the pool. This man's infirmity had lasted 38 years and he was too weak or paralyzed to raise up into the healing pool waters. Every day he waited for his miracle. Every day became a shattered dream. 38 years of withered legs most likely left him with a withered heart. Until one day Jesus - the living, walking Mercy Seat came to the man in need.
What a strange question Jesus asked the man, "Do you want to be made well?" Excuse what may sound like sarcasm here but the man had suffered for 38 years and Jesus asks this. Why??? Notice Jesus did not ask "Do you need to be well?" There is a big difference between needing and wanting. You may need to lose weight, give up some unhealthy addiction or add something beneficial to sustain your life. However, if the "want" is not greater than the "need", the need just stays a need and nothing is accomplished. There have been times I have needed to shed a few pounds and even said I wanted to. Then a dessert tray came my way and I wanted some chocolate cake more than I wanted to lose the weight. Need went out the window in that moment. I don't mean to imply the man did not want to be well. However I notice him doing what many of us do - make excuses for why we can't get needs met. Jesus had such compassion on the man. Perhaps the Healer saw the withered heart more than the withered legs. With eyes locked on one another, Jesus commands the man to take up his bed and walk. Trust, obedience, surrender, healing. Had the command been ignored, so would have the healing.
Are you living by some pool of want, wishing someone will dip you in and "aba cadabra" you'll be well? True healing comes from the Mercy Seat. Only you can make the choice to rise up and walk.