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Thankful, He heals us

Thankful, He heals us
Psalm 107:17-22.

I have a friend who believes a good massage is the solution to almost every illness. He would say, “Whatever your problem is, reflexology will rub it out of you!” Unless, of course, he’s really unwell himself. Then he looks for something else!

The fact is, there are times when we face illness or suffering that go beyond the remedies we usually turn to, or even beyond human ability. In those moments, we need God, the true Healer. In today’s passage, the Psalmist reminds us through the story of the sick that God is the One who can do what no one else can. And when He does, His wonderful deeds leave us with every reason to give thanks.

So what can I be thankful for from the story of the sick? That when we are sick, He heals us.

  • The suffering of the sick.
Even the smallest form of sickness does quite render us sad and helpless, doesn’t it? It is a form of suffering everyone can relate to. The Psalmist uses one story to describe both spiritual and physical sickness, which can sometimes be related, but are often unrelated (John 9:2-3). The point is that whether it’s spiritual sickness resulting from rebellion against God (v17), or physical illness through no fault of our own (v18), we can find ourselves in situations beyond our ability to fix, a real suffering. Yet, even when we have exhausted our strength and every remedy, we can still turn to God, our Healer.

  • The healing and joy for the sick.
The ultimate healer of all sickness is the Lord (vv19-20). He is the one who hears our cry in trouble, sends out His word, heals and rescues, even from the grave and restores joy (v22). Ultimately, we see God’s healing power and compassion through Jesus, who came to heal both the spiritually and physically sick (Matt. 8:16-17). Although we may not experience physical healing in every situation in this life, we can be thankful that God hears us, cares for us, and still brings us joy despite suffering. And through Jesus, God has promised us complete healing and restoration one day (Rev. 21:4).

If you are going through a kind of suffering or sickness, you can be sure that if you cry out to God, He will hear you and bring you healing in His time, and ultimately bring joy to your soul.

So what gives us reason to give thanks? Recalling that when we were sick, God healed us and ultimately brought us joy.

Reflect & Pray
What healing or restoration in your life have you perhaps taken for granted?
How can you make God’s goodness known through your story?
Thank You, Father, that You are compassionate to us in our suffering; You are the one who heals us. Help us to be people who walk in Your healing power. In Jesus’ name, amen.

God bless you exceedingly,
Sam.
“He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.” Ps. 107:20.
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