Wednesday, December 31, 2003
On Healing and Miracles
"People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed." -Matthew 14:35b-36
"...he asked them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' 'Yes, Lord,' they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, 'According to your faith will it be done to you'; and their sight was restored." -Matthew 9:28b-30a
"'Which is easier: to say, "You're sins are forgiven," or to say, "Get up and walk"? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...' Then he turned to the paralytic, 'Get up, take you mat and go home.' And the man got up and went home." -Matthew 9:5-7
"These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions...'Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.'" -Matthew 10:5a, 8a
"God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them." -Acts 19:11-12
Now, put out of your mind all images/visions/humor of Benny Hinn or Tammy Faye, because I'm about to pose some serious questions, painful questions; I'm talking about the real deal here - the power of God to physically heal.
Long have I been drawn to the study of spiritual healing (and other charasmatic expressions of faith). I have always kept a safe distance, having never been called to be a healer or tongue-speaker in God's kingdom. I have heard marvelous stories of healing from friends whom I trust; and I have heard stories from people whom I cannot trust that seem to wild for belief. Over the course of a few months, many years ago, (mostly due to one experience that so damaged me mentally and emotionally it was hard to come back - indeed I still struggle) the unbelief in me took over and I gave up for bunk the idea that God still performs healing miracles today through empowered people.
But God wasn't going to let me off the hook that easy. He kept me in contact with some folks at a wonderful church, Church of the Holy Spirit that identifies itself as a healing church and is a place where miracles have happened. In college, I took a course on Pentecostalism and did a case study in healing eschatology at a church called The Church of Thunder/Joyful Noise Ministries, Inc. I heard wonderful things there and was a brief witness to how God still healed. Then, to seal the deal, to put an end to all doubt I may have, God did something truly wonderful. He gave the gift of healing to my brother. I felt a little like Moses must have - that whole bit about because you doubted I'm gonna let you see the promised land, but you can't go in.
Up until a few days ago, that was where I stood - firmly of the belief that God acted in modern society in this wonderful way. Then I received word a youth minister in the diocese with whom I've had the pleasure of working many times, and been nourished by her leadership has been struck down with cancer, and struck down mightily. She can't be even 40 years old, but the cancer is throughout her abdomen (colon, liver, kidneys). They've operated, and the operation was a success, but the outlook is still not good. This youth minister was the youth minister at Church of the Holy Spirit - the healing mecca mentioned above.
I've heard they have someone praying at her bedside 24/7, and likely someone or more than one, praying in the church 24/7. How to say this next part? It doesn't appear that anything short of a genuine divine intervention - I mean the very hand of Christ himself taking that cancer away - will be able to save her. What kind of effect will that have on her family, friends, and members of CHS? Here's a church with a nationally known and recognized healing ministry that can't save one of their own? Was their prayer not good enough? Their faith not strong enough? Should their slogan be, "We, through Christ, can heal all*. In small print at the bottom of the page - *"Except cancer." I mean honestly, what's going on here? I understand that they are healers at CHS, that their pastor is one of the most spiritually filled and powerful women I know, but in this case is healing what they should be praying for? It seems they are just setting themselves up for failure and disappointment, and this variety of disappointment could lead to crises of faith. Should they not instead be praying for a painless end of life, full of family and friends? Should they not instead be praying for God's will to be done? I'm not saying God can't do it, but will He? Why would He? Why would He not? People outside their church family will be affected by this if she dies. People will be left with a host of questions, pain, and doubt. People like me. I don't even know how to express what I want to say. I'll leave you with a few words that may encapture what I'm feeling. Frustration. Doubt. Fear. Sadness. Pain. Anger. Disbelief.
-R
"People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed." -Matthew 14:35b-36
"...he asked them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' 'Yes, Lord,' they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, 'According to your faith will it be done to you'; and their sight was restored." -Matthew 9:28b-30a
"'Which is easier: to say, "You're sins are forgiven," or to say, "Get up and walk"? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...' Then he turned to the paralytic, 'Get up, take you mat and go home.' And the man got up and went home." -Matthew 9:5-7
"These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions...'Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.'" -Matthew 10:5a, 8a
"God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them." -Acts 19:11-12
Now, put out of your mind all images/visions/humor of Benny Hinn or Tammy Faye, because I'm about to pose some serious questions, painful questions; I'm talking about the real deal here - the power of God to physically heal.
Long have I been drawn to the study of spiritual healing (and other charasmatic expressions of faith). I have always kept a safe distance, having never been called to be a healer or tongue-speaker in God's kingdom. I have heard marvelous stories of healing from friends whom I trust; and I have heard stories from people whom I cannot trust that seem to wild for belief. Over the course of a few months, many years ago, (mostly due to one experience that so damaged me mentally and emotionally it was hard to come back - indeed I still struggle) the unbelief in me took over and I gave up for bunk the idea that God still performs healing miracles today through empowered people.
But God wasn't going to let me off the hook that easy. He kept me in contact with some folks at a wonderful church, Church of the Holy Spirit that identifies itself as a healing church and is a place where miracles have happened. In college, I took a course on Pentecostalism and did a case study in healing eschatology at a church called The Church of Thunder/Joyful Noise Ministries, Inc. I heard wonderful things there and was a brief witness to how God still healed. Then, to seal the deal, to put an end to all doubt I may have, God did something truly wonderful. He gave the gift of healing to my brother. I felt a little like Moses must have - that whole bit about because you doubted I'm gonna let you see the promised land, but you can't go in.
Up until a few days ago, that was where I stood - firmly of the belief that God acted in modern society in this wonderful way. Then I received word a youth minister in the diocese with whom I've had the pleasure of working many times, and been nourished by her leadership has been struck down with cancer, and struck down mightily. She can't be even 40 years old, but the cancer is throughout her abdomen (colon, liver, kidneys). They've operated, and the operation was a success, but the outlook is still not good. This youth minister was the youth minister at Church of the Holy Spirit - the healing mecca mentioned above.
I've heard they have someone praying at her bedside 24/7, and likely someone or more than one, praying in the church 24/7. How to say this next part? It doesn't appear that anything short of a genuine divine intervention - I mean the very hand of Christ himself taking that cancer away - will be able to save her. What kind of effect will that have on her family, friends, and members of CHS? Here's a church with a nationally known and recognized healing ministry that can't save one of their own? Was their prayer not good enough? Their faith not strong enough? Should their slogan be, "We, through Christ, can heal all*. In small print at the bottom of the page - *"Except cancer." I mean honestly, what's going on here? I understand that they are healers at CHS, that their pastor is one of the most spiritually filled and powerful women I know, but in this case is healing what they should be praying for? It seems they are just setting themselves up for failure and disappointment, and this variety of disappointment could lead to crises of faith. Should they not instead be praying for a painless end of life, full of family and friends? Should they not instead be praying for God's will to be done? I'm not saying God can't do it, but will He? Why would He? Why would He not? People outside their church family will be affected by this if she dies. People will be left with a host of questions, pain, and doubt. People like me. I don't even know how to express what I want to say. I'll leave you with a few words that may encapture what I'm feeling. Frustration. Doubt. Fear. Sadness. Pain. Anger. Disbelief.
-R
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