Verse for Meditation: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ ” (2 Cor. 12:9).

Healing is the holistic restoration of health in the body and receiving mental peace. Through medical treatment one may receive health. But even if a physical health is not restored, a change in the attitude towards the circumstances and the world itself is a sign of healing. God’s nature of healing is found in the Bible from the very beginning. From the beginning of the covenant that God made with the people of Israel, “I am the Lord who heals you” (Ex. 12:26), the healing ministry of God is explicitly found. The Bible speaks of healing in many places. The references can be seen in the Psalms (Ps. 103:3, 107:20,147:3), in the Prophets (Jer. 33:6; Is. 53:3-5, 57:18,19; Mal. 4:2) and in many places in the New Testament. In the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the ministry of the apostles, ‘the healing ministry’ is very clear. The Book of Revelation ends with a heavenly vision of a tree with leaves used for healing (Rev. 22:2).

Divine healing is a holistic healing

Healing of the body (Ps. 103:3; 1 Pet. 2:24; Is. 53:5).

Healing to the mind (Ps. 147:3)

Healing to the soul (Hos. 14:4). This is understood as a healing from back sliding.

Healing to the nation (2 Chro. 7:14). Our country and the political systems need healing.

Healing in our relationships (Eph. 2:13-15). This means healing should happen to our families and to the friendly relationships.

The reasons for our sickness:

The evil deed of man called sin is the major reason. Many unethical behavioral patterns of life invite many diseases. Not only a person but also the whole society may be affected by sickness due to uncontrolled life and misuse of freedom (Is. 59:1, 2; Rom. 1:24-27; 1 Cor. 11:28, 29, 30; Colo. 1:15).

God has given ‘a thorn in the flesh’ to Paul with his own knowledge. Paul says that this is given to him so that he will not boast of himself (2 Cor. 12:7-9). Job was tormented with blisters with the knowledge of God (Job. 1, 2).

Some of the sicknesses are brought about by satanic powers. Luke says that in healing the hunch backed woman who was bent for about 18 years the Lord has unleashed her from enslavement (Lk. 13:11). This means that sickness can be caused by the evil powers.

In today’s context, environmental pollutions also cause many sicknesses. From the level of innocent children to the senior citizens are caught in deadly sicknesses. God has given man the duty to protect the earth (Gen. 2:15). But man started to exploit the earth to its maximum. There is an ecological imbalance on earth. Water is becoming polluted, getting poisoned. Rivers, streams, ponds, wells and other natural water bodies are disappearing. Air is polluted. All grains and vegetables are soaked in chemical insecticides. Man reaps the consequences of all these evils. Though the environmentalists are making much hue and cry to preserve the balance of the ecological system of the earth is going bad to worse, due to human errors. Thus, pollution becomes a reason for sicknesses.

Here we have to look to the face of God. Let us depend on God for a holistic healing and pray and attempt for the health of the world.

The weak man Moses (Ex. 4:10-17)

God chose Moses to deliver the people of Israel. But he was a man with ‘slow of speech and tongue’ (Ex. 4:10). But God has called the same Moses for a higher ministry. “The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say’ ” (Ex. 4:11, 12). Thus the weak Moses was strengthened. The word of God exhorts us to live strengthened without wavering.

God’s glory revealed through the blind (Jn. 9:1-7).

The disciples of Jesus had a doubt who has sinned that this man should be born as a blind person. But Jesus healed him, saying that it is to reveal the will of God in him. The name of the Lord is glorified in different ways. We find the healing hand of God in all these deeds.

Strength in weakness (2 Cor. 12:1-10).

Paul prayed three times to remove the thorn in his flesh (2 Cor. 12:7). But God did not give him an immediate relief and answer. Rather He said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. The grace of God that leads us and gives us better strength in our weaknesses is important here. It is not a deliverance from sickness here, but rather healing that had happened is important. We must be able to see such experiences as answers to our prayers. Are we able to say ‘Lord Jesus, your grace is sufficient for us’?