Ordinary Healing

Every healing is miraculous. When I cut my finger, I wash it, put on a Band-Aid and in two or three days, lo and behold, there is no cut. How does it happen? No one is quite sure how it happens, it's the principal of life, the order that God has set in the world. If I break my leg, I can set the bone back to where it originally was, keep the leg straight for a few weeks and somehow the bones knit themselves together again. If we step back and look at what happens, as if we'd never heard of bodies healing themselves, we would be astounded, but because it's such a natural process from our infancy on, we get used to it and it loses its magic. The reality is that it's a wonderful procedure that God has integrated into the natural order.

Our bodies are not machines or car engines that breakdown with use. Our bodies respond to exercise and get stronger with use: the more often we run two miles the easier it will be to run three miles. We call it getting fit. Our bodies are designed to move, it is lack of movement that is detrimental to them. Laziness and gluttony is something that the book of Proverbs has quite a lot to say about and never in a good light but always with good humour - The lazy man can't even bring his spoon up from the dish to his mouth. It's important to our physical and mental well being to take note of what Proverbs has to say to us.

There is sometimes a subliminal clause for some Christians that gets them out of taking care of their bodies, the clause runs something like this: It's our souls that are really important, our bodies are only temporary. Bodily exercise profits little; it says so in the bible so why bother with it at all? (It's a similar scenario to the believers who stopped working because Christ was returning so why bother going to work.) The King James wording is unfortunate for modern readers, the modern translations capture that verse well – Exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise has value for this life and the life to come. We are body, soul and spirit and need to take care of all three, neglect of one area can easily affect the other two areas.

Some churches pray for sick people, which is a good thing, but how many of those illnesses are self inflicted? Obesity can cause a number of health issues, too much time sitting down is not good, smoking is well known to threaten our lives, and drinking alcohol can also be a problem. Churches seemed to have loosened up in the last few decades with their attitude towards drinking and are not as vociferous about it as they used to be. “Jesus turned the water into wine” people seem to get enjoyment just saying those words. Okay, fair enough but because we may be allowed to drink a small amount doesn't mean we can drink a large amount. I don't drink alcohol at all but I wouldn't say that everyone should be teetotal; the weight of biblical evidence is against me. Drinking is a problem for some people though and some Christians. I have friends who have had problems with it, and I've been at Christian conferences where the after meeting get-togethers are fuelled by alcohol causing behaviour to sink a few notches further than just being in high-spirits would justify.

God is gracious and even with our slackness he still heals us, sometimes through natural means and sometimes through supernatural means. I think that God expects us to do what we can to remain healthy in the first place and not presume on his goodness. I've heard of people who in an attempt to get healed refuse the advice or medicine offered by doctors and say that faith in God will heal them. It's almost as if going to the doctor's shows a lack of faith on their part. Jesus wants me for a sunbeam not a zombie.  We have to use the common sense that God has given us to use.  He has given animals instinct which serves them pretty well on the whole but he has given human beings reason, so we must use it. If you've been told, “the issue is between going to the doctor and trusting God to do something,” go to the doctor.  God has placed doctors there for us to use.  When Jesus said go and heal the sick, he didn't mean just heal them through miracles he meant heal them like the Good Samaritan did, i.e. bandage them up and give them medicine.  God does what we can't do, so when the doctors can't do anything for a patient we trust in God because he can still do something for the sick person, but we don't pre-empt the doctor.  Jesus turned water into wine because there was no wine left.  If I ask God to turn the water from my tap into wine, he may say, "Go and buy some from Asda/Walmart".  If I say, “But I haven't got any money,” He may say, "Go out and earn some then".  God expects us to do what we can with the resources he has given to us.  When those resources run out then God will step in and we have faith that God will work everything out for us.  That's faith.  We ought not to dispense with our reason for fanciful wishes.

A crippled beggar asked Peter and John for money, they didn't give him money but gave him legs so he could earn his own money. There are some people who don't want to get well, they enjoy all the hand-outs they receive, and they enjoy other people doing things for them. There are temptations to being ill. Most people who are ill, desperately want to get well, and that desire is good, they may have to follow a program their physician has drawn up for them, they may have to strengthen parts of their body through exercise and they can help both of those processes by prayer and faith in Jesus, who is able to heal. I had a back problem three years ago. I could stand up only for short periods at a time. I couldn't manage to stand up at church for a complete hymn but had to sit down by the time we were singing the third verse. A friend of mine named Bob came to me after the service and said he noticed I couldn't stand up very long. Then he asked me if I wanted to meet with the pastor and him for a prayer of healing, I said “yes”. They prayed and I went home. In the mail was an opportunity to run the London marathon in three months time. I thought what a shame I can't run it because my back is so painful. Then I thought if I can make the marathon a goal to aim for it will help me focus. Each morning I did some back exercises to strengthen my muscles. I couldn't run very far because my back was hurting but I could bike and I could swim. So I got on my bike each day or swam, and after a month I found I could run too. So then I focused on running and got up to about 20 miles. The 2007 London marathon was a hot day, but I was so glad to be running it. I thanked God for the opportunity and asked him to be with me. I ran in the Spirit. In fact, I wrote a song about it called “In The Spirit”; it's on one of my albums. I raised some money by running the marathon for some Rwandan orphans. A marathon isn't easy and by the time I got to mile 20 with another 6.2 to go, I was thinking I hope these Rwandan kids appreciate this. I'm glad that Bob prayed for me that day in church and I was able to do what I could to help my back, and God who is the healer, whether through natural means or supernatural, healed me.

Sometimes we get sick, and it may not be through any fault of our own. I've heard some people say that Christians shouldn't be sick, and if they are sick it's because there is sin in their lives. There's nothing like kicking people when they are down, is there? Preachers who preach this will die one day, so what happens to their theory then? Dead is pretty ill, if you ask me. Abel got killed by his brother, Abel hadn't done anything to warrant it, and in fact he was upset because we read that his blood was calling out from the ground, whatever that means. Suffice to say that Able wasn't chuffed about his body being unable to take part in anything else under the sun. Most people can see through this pseudo spirituality of never getting sick; it's patently untrue. When people who preach this doctrine get sick they say their faith is low that's why it's happened. Arguing with them is no use, it's a no win scenario, they have a get-out clause for every point you may put to them. I'm thankful that most believers are able to use the ordinary common sense that God has given them.

“Beloved I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” III John 1:2

Paul Poulton

Paul is a singer/songwriter, author and speaker. He tours with his band, the Paul Poulton Project in the UK and the US, playing modern rock, blues and funk His next tour of the US is being planned for July/August 2009. He also writes articles for web sites and magazines. He has recently had a book published called 'Fishing For Praise'.
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