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Matthew 9:18-34

Healing. It's easy to recognize our need for the physical kind...we all know how vulnerable we are to diseases, cancers, broken limbs, sickness, pain...but Jesus kept calling His followers to seek healing for their hearts.

He raised a dead girl to life. He still reaches out His hand to do the same for every man, woman and child who will recognize their need for forgiveness, accept Christ's invitation to save them by faith in His own death, burial and resurrection, and trust Him with their lives. He heals our sin-sick hearts and gives us new life in Christ.

He healed a woman who had been sick with a blood disease for twelve years. In the same way, He offers to heal the wounds of our bleeding hearts. Feelings like discouragement, disappointment, hopelessness, sorrow, stress, and worry can ruin us and attitudes like anger, coldness, bitterness, self-righteousness and a critical spirit can ruin our relationships. Those are matters of the heart that often stem from a wrong understanding of how God sees us. When I understand that the Creator of the Universe chose me...has completely forgiven me...loves me without condition...is in the details of my life with me...knows my past, my present and my future and still refuses to let me go...has worked out a divine plan for my earthly life even though it is shorter than the blink of an eye in light of all eternity....and that all the power it took for God to raise Christ from the dead is available to work His will and purpose in my own life for His glory...that changes the beat of my heart. Everything falls into place...including my feelings and my responses to other people...when I have the proper respective of who I am in light of who He is.

Jesus healed the blind men. In the same way, He can heal my vision. I am far too self-conscious. In more ways than I like to admit, I think the world should be revolving around me and my own desires, perceived needs and comforts. I can miss God's hand on my life simply because I am too focused on carving an image for myself. Sadly, it's not even real. It's an IMAGE. Even my devotion to Christ can be self-centered. Oswald Chambers once stopped me in my tracks by asking (in his devotional My Utmost for His Highest), Do you love JESUS or do you love your DEVOTION to Him? I need to lift up my eyes and gaze directly at Him. With tunnel vision.

Jesus healed the man who had been possessed by demons. So many things can torment us: fears, shame, temptations (to name a few). They seem to creep out of nowhere and take us by surprise. We've got to walk in the Light of God's Word, where the enemy is exposed and his lies are seen for what they are. God is Light and in Him there is no darkness at all.

Those who received healing had two things in common: they had faith that Christ would heal them, and they ASKED for healing. Do you know that Jesus heals, or do you know Him as your Healer? Do you recognize that your heart needs healing? Ask the Great Physician. He didn't come for those who are well...He came to heal the heartsick.