By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
THURSDAY
THEME: JESUS HOLDS THE POWER TO HEAL
SCRIPTURE: Mark 2:10-12
“[10]But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, [11]“I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” [12]Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
REFLECTIONS:
One of God’s blessings we often abuse and take for granted is well-being or good health. We commonly forget that we can easily lose our health within a moment. We hate to think about the possibility of losing our health, but the consequences may come if we do not maintain a healthy lifestyle. We generally assume that our health will remain optimal all the time. But the fact of life is that we shall lose what we fail to cherish, treasure, and guard with purpose and intentionality one day. It appears we can appreciate health more when we lose it.
When we wake up healthy each morning, we should remember to express our gratitude to God. The way most people handle their lives is evident in that God’s grace keeps them healthy. However, the undesirable will occur one day, and it may be too late. In many cases, we are the cause of the onset of ill-health. Therefore, we are responsible for understanding how our body works and providing the attention it needs to function effectively and optimally.
John Mark reports an incident in Mark 2:1-10 when Jesus healed a paralytic. The patient was at the point of death when his friends helped to bring him to Jesus Christ. Though the situation was dire, and getting access to Jesus was very difficult because of the multitude that had thronged Him, the friends were smart to innovate a solution. They did their calculations well and got the patient exactly where Jesus stood. At that moment, Jesus saw the faith of the patient’s friends and rewarded their trust. Verse 5 states, “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” This implied that his ailment was caused by sin. It is a fact that our lifestyles generally cause some degenerative diseases. How we eat and drink may cause cardiovascular and related diseases; smoking may lead to lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis; and alcohol may contribute to cirrhosis of the liver, digestive problems, and others. Generally, these diseases are preventable.
Jesus forgave the man. The Scribes questioned His authority to forgive sins. So Jesus said in verses 10-11, “[10]But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, [11]“I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” “Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” – verse 12. Indeed, God is our healer. The sick can be healed when He speaks. When you call upon Him and express your need, even though you may have caused it by your behavior, He will forgive and restore you. Never hesitate to confess to Him. He will forgive and heal. Jesus has the power to restore physically and spiritually. Still, talk to Jesus about your health. He will also heal those ailments that were not caused by your lifestyle. David said in Psalms 103:2-3 – “[2]Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: [3]Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,” May the Lord heal you as you express faith in Him.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 254 – “The Great Physician Now Is Near” – From Songs of Everlasting Joy
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His healing mercies; thank God for healing your poor health and forgiving your sins; pray to follow the health principles to honor God;
– Pray for the sick – in the hospitals and health facilities, at home, at prayer camps, etc.; pray for medical personnel and health service providers;
– Pray for good health for your family, friends, loved ones, work colleagues, and neighbors; pray for good health facilities and systems in the country; pray for universal access to health for all;
– Pray to thank God for people you know who have been healed; pray for God to grant physical, spiritual, and socio-economic healing to our nation; pray for Christ’s soon return.
