by J. Vetter,
Guest Contributor

“Oh, Lord, take your super glue and glue my bone together.” This was one of my first prayers after fracturing a bone in my foot. At the time, I did think it was sort of a silly prayer until I read the paperwork from my emergency room visit. It stated, “When a bone heals, the body puts a CALLUS together across the piece that is broken. This callus is made of new bone material and will eventually melt or glue the two broken pieces together.” What a sweet reassurance that the Lord was indeed with me in my pain, even in the formulation of my seemingly strange prayer.

Being forced to reduce my activities gave me time to reflect on the word, “broken,” and the pain involved. I realized my foot would eventually heal and the pain would then be just a memory, or maybe even forgotten. However, there are many people living with various degrees of brokenness–a broken relationship, broken health, or even being brokenhearted–all of which can be covered by God’s supernatural ability to heal.

My natural belief is that a bone progressively heals. My belief, as a Christian, is that God adds His “super” to the natural, and things that are impossible or difficult have a greater ability to heal when faith is released.

In the Bible narrative of the beggar man, who was lame from his mother’s womb, he was told, “In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” The story relates that immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength, and he began to walk and leap. This is the “super” element added to that poor man’s body. He was carried along and set down daily at the gate of the temple, so this man required assistance to even get there. His muscles hadn’t been exercised. This was not a progressive healing–it was a miracle. And it was brought about by two of Jesus’ disciples who were bold enough to believe that God could raise the man up. How many of us have seen this today? How many of us even believe it could happen?

I couldn’t help but compare the word, “callus,” (used for good–to bring healing to my bone) with the word, “callous,” which means hardened in mind, or unfeeling. My journey toward healing included much soul searching as to what I expected from my faith. It’s easy not to have very high expectations. Then there is no disappointment in God. However, the struggle to boost my faith to believe in God’s supernatural ability came with a sinister, mocking voice, “Has God really said?”

A few months before fracturing the bone in my foot, I had been running across the street with my schnauzer on his leash at night and tripped over the curb and landed flat on my face. It was a miracle I didn’t break much more, but I did find out I had broken a bone in my wrist. However, before I knew it was broken, I believed for healing; and by the time it was x-rayed, the family doctor said it looked like an old break. Then suddenly the pain went away, and I never followed up with the orthopedic doctor. So later, as I struggled with the pain in my foot, how easy it was to forget this previous incident of my God’s goodness and power.

Perhaps, it is like the disciples. Having seen the miracle of Jesus breaking the five loaves of bread to feed 5,000 people, they were still upset because they had forgotten to take bread and only had one loaf with them. Jesus spoke some heartbreaking words to them. He said, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? And do you not remember?” We can end up with a calloused heart when we stop believing that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We can be fresh from a miracle and still not perceive that our God can do it again!

J. Vetter

Acts 3:1-8 and
Mark 8:13-21

…from Matthew 8

After Jesus had come down from the mountain, He was followed by crowds–a great throng.

Wanting to hear the Lord’s teaching and be healed, a leper, at a certain point, had also come along.

He fell down before Christ and worshiped Him, asking for cleansing, if Jesus would be willing.

He had faith that his request could be one of those, that day, which the Lord would be fulfilling.

Jesus stretched out His hand and touched the afflicted man, thereby blessing…

He destroyed what the devil had worked, which, to the leper, had been so distressing.

“I am willing,” Jesus said–what a compassionate touch for the man’s body and soul!

Jesus told him to tell no one, but to go to the priest to reveal that he’d been made whole.

There, bringing a gift in accordance with Moses’ command, the state of his health would be reviewed.

And then, he would be given right of passage to return to society–his life renewed.

Jesus’ loving touch is going forth to those who worship and call on Him still today.

There’s no one who can’t be touched by the Master, who is always willing to heal whenever we pray.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” 1 John 5:14-15

“Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.  He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”  Colossians 1:12-14

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them.”  Mark 11:24

For encouragement on healing: http://www.rhema.org offers the book, “Bodily Healing and the Atonement,” by Dr. T. J. McCrossan, reedited and reprinted by Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin and Dr. Roy Hicks. Also offered there are many other books and materials that support both spiritual and physical well-being. And see ministry websites previously mentioned on the blog.

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

“And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” Luke 5:17

I thank God today for His power being present to heal…as well as His peace over any discouragement and for faith to persevere in trusting Him in all matters.

“Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart…”  Luke 18:1 NASB

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”  Isaiah 26:3

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 RSV

Scriptures NKJV or as noted.