Faith & Healing & Me

   Sometimes a familiar passage, one that shows up in a daily reading, makes me stop and wonder what I really believe about it. Such is the one from today, which begins in Mark 10 in this way:

"And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. "

   The first thing that comes to my mind relates to a long ago situation that we had in our home when out kids were growing up. We bought an aquarium and some fish for the kids to watch. One was a blind fish whom we immediately called Blind Bart, for the story related above.

   But this morning, I saw more than just this reference to a fish in my past, I looked at the whole healing incident and began to wonder some things.

" And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”  And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.”And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way."

   Questions began to surface in my mind as I try to put this in context for my present day.

   Jesus could heal, sure He could, He healed many, but how about today?

   The early disciples and apostles could heal, the Bible is full of that, too. Did that die out after they all died?

   Does God still heal today, in that same miraculous way?

   I can say that I believe God can still heal today, but do I really? Is my faith more in the skill of doctors and the properties of modern medicines or God?

   Why am I cynical when I see faith healers on TV and watch them in action?

   When I hear that some person's cancer has gone away and no longer shows up on any test, why do I pause and, instead of thanking God, wonder how soon it will show up again?

   Is my failure of faith due to the fact that no one that I know personally ever experienced this miracle of healing?

   My faith says that Jesus can still heal if He wants to, and He can do it in any way and at any time, but I wonder if I am a part of the problem? Cynicism does not fit very well with faith.

   I read some of John Piper's sermon on this topic as I sought to understand both the teaching and my response to this matter of healing taking place today, and he says:

"Finally, this implies that we may rightly seek for gifts of healings. This is implied in the pursuit of love and compassion. Praying for healing is only one way to show love to someone. But it is one way."

   And I wonder at my reaction to the possibility of this happening today.

   Does this show that I do not really care or have any compassion on those that suffer?

   And I pray that God will give me the grace and enlightenment to truly understand my role in all of this.