Sue called our Bible study members to tell us her son had chickenpox and to warn us that our children had been exposed in the nursery.(1)
One lady’s response surprised Sue:
"My children don’t get chicken pox because ‘by His stripes we are healed.’ Our words bring health or sickness."
In these two terse sentences, this woman:
1. Judged Sue for “lack of faith.”(2)
2. Showed indifference for Sue's sick child, neither offering sympathy nor prayers (Philippians 2:1-4).
3. Misused Isaiah 53:4-5, claiming eternal promises on earth.(3)
4. Expressed a superstitious belief about words.(4)
It's true that Christ defeated disease, pain, sorrow, and Satan in the spiritual realm. But Christ's final victory will not be fully realized until His return. Scripture makes that clear (1 Corinthians 15:20-28; Hebrews 2:5-9).
Sometimes God heals us physically here on earth, sometimes not. Sometimes we can identify reasons for sickness, sometimes not.
But whether we are sick or well, we can experience God's peace:
“In me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
If you'd like to do a Bite Size Bible Study on this devotion, click HERE.
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(1) The chickenpox vaccine wasn’t licensed in the U.S. until 1995, and this situation took place in 1980.
(2) God rebuked Job's friends for claiming his problems and illness were due to his lack of faith. See Job's Judgmental Friends.
(3) See Misunderstandings About the Stripes of Jesus and Heavenly Promises Versus Earthly Promises.
(4) See The Power and the Limit of Words.
Another helpful resource: Joni Eareckson Tada: Breast Cancer Update on PBS.
This 1-Minute Bible Love Note is also about Joni: Wheelchair Miracle.
Bible Love Notes
Wow, She is amazing! I love the way she looks at things! What an inspiration! Thank you for this video! Thank you for your lesson and the verses, on having peace.
ReplyDeleteBe blessed! Linda
Yes, Linda, Joni is one of my heroines. Her spirit has ministered to me many times. I'm in the process of reading her book "A Place of Healing" and I strongly recommend it.
DeleteJoni really is amazing. I have a friend who is just as amazing. She is only 34, and has been battling ovarian cancer for 4+ years. She still works 3 days a week, amid ongoing chemo treatments, dialysis when necessary, and extra chemo treatments done by flying once a month to the MD Anderson facility in Texas. Her spirit is generally positive, and she is constantly giving and serving others when she can and sometimes doing more than she needs to. She is such a blessing, and such an example of faith.
ReplyDeleteWe are not promised health and wealth here on earth, and to expect it goes against what Scripture teaches. In fact, the Bible says that as followers of Christ, we should expect trials and suffering, and many times that comes in the form of illness or poor health. But what He does promise is spiritual health and blessing, which is also often attained by poor health and illness or poverty, causing us to focus even more on our heavenly Father and His strength. I always am reminded of Job whenever someone thinks life is not fair. He had a miserable time, but did not curse God, and God was showing Satan Job's strong faith. I believe that although it may be difficult to think this way in the midst of a trial, we are certainly blessed by the Lord when He sends trials. He loves us enough to do things that will bring us ultimately closer to Himself! What richer blessings could we possibly hope for??
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Your friend sounds amazing, and I have met others like her. They are always such glowing witnesses of God's strength. My sister-in-law died at 28, a year after she made a commitment to Christ, and even though she had been pretty immature before accepting Christ, I was amazed at the mature and godly way she handled dying. I could really see Jesus in her.
DeleteHer story is amazing...I listened with a lump in my throat, especially since my friend passed a few months ago.
ReplyDelete