Jesus is still Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord who heals!

From the heart of Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible Teacher & Expositor. Jesus showed that He was the Great Physician who heals the sick. In Galilee, Jesus went from town to town, “healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23). Every day, in every way, Jesus proved Himself to be Jehovah-Rapha in the flesh. However, in the New Testament, there’s no promise of healing from disease in this life given to believers. In other words, physical healing in this life is a matter of God's sovereign will and choice. If we’re battling whatever illness, we can trust that God is more powerful than any disease and that ultimately He will destroy all sickness and even death itself (1 Corinthians 15:26; Revelation 21:4). In Jesus, we are ultimately safe and on the path to total and complete healing, even if disease and death are steps along the way. Can God heal? Yes! Does God heal? Absolutely! But Scripture teaches that while physical healing is a part of God's ultimate plan, it is not always His immediate will for believers in their earthly lives. The apostle Paul couldn't heal Timothy's stomach problem (1 Timothy 5:23) nor could he heal Trophimus at Miletus (2 Timothy 4:20) or Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-27). Ultimately, God's will and timing for healing are sovereign, and believers should trust in His wisdom and love, whether or not they experience physical healing in this life. Physical healing won’t be fully realized until heaven. This decaying body is promised to be replaced by a glorified one (1 Corinthians 15:50-53), but we don’t receive that until heaven. At times (perhaps often), we will not get the clean bill of health we want for ourselves or our loved ones. But that does not mean God has withdrawn His help. Even if physical healing is not granted, it doesn't mean God has abandoned us. Our sovereign God knows the absolute best for us! Am I saying we shouldn't pray for healing? No, not at all! I'm just saying that after we've asked for healing, we need to submit to God's sovereign will. He may have a purpose in allowing our illness. While the desire for a “clean bill of health” is understandable, until we get our glorified bodies, there is a greater healing, the cleansing of sinful hearts, that God performs every day. Jesus is still Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord who heals. Be encouraged!