The Love & Healing of Jesus

I just can’t get enough of Jesus! I’ve found a beautiful paradox: that those who “drink of the water” Jesus provides will never be thirsty again, but at the same time my spirit pants and pants for more! And to take it a step wondrously further: because Jesus is infinite, I can literally receive as much of Him as I can bear.

He never runs out, and I never reach the end.

Now, if you are in a similar field as me, ministry seems to heighten around Easter, and with it, the exhaustion, the weariness… maybe even the depression, the routine. Listen to me! Keep looking at Jesus—gaze full-on into His face. He brings the sweetest refreshing. As you read this even now, I pray that Jesus would dawn upon you a spirit of joy and gladness like you’ve never experienced yet!

To help us all recalibrate, let’s try on Matthew 8 for size.

Starting with verse 8, “Then Jesus went into Peter’s home and found Peter’s mother-in-law bed-ridden, severely ill with a fever. The moment Jesus touched her hand she was healed! Immediately she got up and began to make dinner for them. That evening the people brought to him many who were demonized. And by Jesus only speaking a word of healing over them, they were totally set free from their torment, and everyone who was sick received their healing! In doing this, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: He put upon himself our weaknesses, and he carried away our diseases and made us well.”

When I read this, I sense the compassion of Jesus! My heart swells within me to know Jesus better in this way. It doesn’t appear that anyone even asked Jesus to heal Peter’s mother-in-law—Jesus saw the need, and He met the need.

Pause.

Do you have a need? Are you sick in bed, or worse, confined to a hospital? Must you rely on a wheelchair or cane? Are you suffering under secret brokenness? Is there a private wound you’ve carried since childhood? Are the important relationships in your life on the brink of sailing away? Is the number in your bank account haunting you? Have you done all you feel you can do?

Some well-meaning people lose sleep wrestling with what the will of God is in situations like these, but the wrestling is needless. The will of God is good, pleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:2), meaning that whatever is good or pleasing or perfect is the heart of God toward you! The will of God is abundant prosperity toward you (Jeremiah 29:11)! Certainly the outcome isn’t always what we expect, but we have God’s word that it will in fact be better than what we expect (Ephesians 3:20-21)! Amen!

Before you have the need, Jesus has the answer. Jesus is the answer! His heart is for you, and He has so many customized blessings and experiences reserved for you, His dear and precious one.

He hears your calls. He knows. And He delights to answer you. Yes, God truly is the God who answers prayer (1 John 3:21-22)! Let me say it again for the people in the back: God answers prayer!

Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law from a simple fever (which albeit may have been a death sentence back then, but at any rate, a small malady compared to other needs), and He will heal your body. He will rescue you. He will deliver you. Take heart!

I also love how Jesus healed literally every single person who came to Him that night. What point do you suppose the author of this Gospel is trying to convey?

Does Jesus change? Not a chance. So if Jesus healed everyone who came to Him, will He heal you? Will He answer your cries? The answer, my friend, is yes, yes, yes!

So with that, find some encouragement from this bit of truth-sharing. How deeply loved you are—a truer and more committed love than you ever first realized.

Josh