Below is an excerpt from
a sermon a few years back on the Gospel lesson for today: Mark 1:29-39.
Healing is something all
of us need at one time or another in our lives. We need healing from
infirmities, healing from broken hearts, healing from grief and loss, just to
be made whole once again.
Throughout this Epiphany
we have encountered a number of healing stories in the lectionary. They are stories
of Jesus casting out demons and strengthening the afflicted. Today, we continue
on that journey of healing with Jesus, and this time it gets personal, at least
for one of the disciples.
In the first healing
story in this lesson we see that Simon’s mother-in-law was sick and in bed.
When Jesus is invited over to Simon’s the first thing he does is go in and care
for this woman. He takes her hand, takes her fever, lifts her up, and makes her
whole once again. One interesting point in this story, the mother-in-law never
says a word. There is no confession of faith, no showing of belief, only
receiving the gift of healing.
…
The healing stories in
the lessons for today spoke to me because of where I walk with people in their
lives, and because of where my life has been before and will be again at some
point. You see, we are all broken, and we need Christ to come to us. We need
Christ to heal, forgive, and love us. We need Christ to make us whole.
And it is throughout
Scripture, throughout our lives, we see that God does exactly that. Yes, God comes
to us in valleys of life, in times of sorrow, despair, and need. And he embraces
us with loving arms. No, God doesn’t require us to climb mountain to find him,
but instead comes to us in muck and mire of life. And it is there there, in
those deep valleys, that we have those God moments, those healing touches we so
desperately need.
No comments:
Post a Comment