Jesus Forgives and Heals
Open Your Bible
Matthew 4:12-17, Mark 1:14-45, Mark 2:1-28
BY Yana Conner
Have you ever heard of Lectio Divina? It’s an ancient Scripture reading practice that invites you to read a passage four times as a way of meditating on and praying through Scripture. On your second pass, the practice prompts you to meditate on the word or phrase that resonates with you most. In today’s reading, that word for me was “immediately.”
Jesus called Simon and Andrew to follow Him, and immediately they left their livelihood and followed Him (Mark 1:16–18).
Immediately Jesus called James and John to follow Him, and they left their father and made Jesus their teacher (vv.19–20).
Immediately leprosy left the man who approached Jesus for healing (vv.40–42).
At Jesus’s command, immediately the paralytic whose sins Jesus had forgiven took up his mat and walked (Mark 2:1–12).
Here, in these phrases, we see Jesus immediately taking the initiative to bring His Father’s kingdom near and people immediately responding with surrender, awe, and even opposition. The narrative is in constant motion as Jesus teaches, heals, and forgives those who come to Him. However, it wasn’t Jesus’s activity in today’s reading that caused me to slow down and meditate on the word “immediately.” It is Christ’s seeming inactivity in my own life that causes me to stop and ponder, asking:
God, why does it seem like my life is in slow-mo?
Why have I not yet healed from past pain?
Why do I have to go to counseling to do the seemingly never ending work of change?
Why haven’t You healed my friend from chronic pain, depression, and night terrors? Is she not worthy of Your immediate compassion and relief? I know You can do it. Is it that You’re not willing?
And I’m not just frustrated with God. I’m also frustrated with myself. Why don’t I respond to God and His Word when He calls me to follow? I long for the immediate activity I see here in these verses.
Friends, I know I’m supposed to give you some encouragement or corrective truth that gets you through the day or the week. But, all I have to offer today is my confession of frustration with the seemingly slow pace of life and a hope in Jesus that, at times, is dimmed by the darkness that continues to loom on Earth. As I continue to meditate and talk to Jesus, I invite you to go back to today’s passage and do the same. Consider what in your life you wish would happen immediately. Draw near to Him with honesty, trusting He will comfort, correct, and respond to your longing in His good and perfect timing—even when the process of sanctification is slow.
137 thoughts on "Jesus Forgives and Heals"
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Lord you are a healer thank you Jesus!I will trust in the Lord all my days and I will be satisfied with you Lord cause you know what’s best for me all of my good days out weigh my bad days I won’t complain I will not get weary but I will trust in the Lord always and forever and Lord I’ll be satisfied with you! I know you got me! Hallelujah! Some trust in horses sone trust in chariots I choose to trust in the Lord who has never left me! I’m satisfied! I’m satisfied! I’m satisfied! Glory!
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@trina @Lilly thank you guys so much for posting your perspective on this. In the past was my answer from God was “wait” or even “no” my immediate response has been one of self loathing. I must not be good enough or loved or I’m being punished. But reading your responses has helped me to think about MY immediate. I need to immediately know God has a plan, immediately know I am loved, immediately know God is good. Thank you guys so much for you honesty and sharing your heart here ❤️
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Thank you for writing this. It made me think of my immediate responses to God. My immediate response to God’s “nos” or “waits” has been a feeling of not being worthy or truly love and those responses have kept me stuck I think. I need to change that. Your response has made me think about my immediate response instead of His and I need to change it. I need to immediately believe in his goodness and immediately trust in His timing and immediately remember His faithfulness and His word. Thank you again for you honesty and perspective on this.
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Also, loved sisters in Christ, when the darkness seems greater than the light and the hope of Jesus seems slow or lost…look for earthly reminders that he gave us, such as the sun. It rises every morning. Look for it and see the promise that it affords us that Jesus rose once and for all and He is coming again! Let that first sunlight of the morning fulfill your heart knowing that the light of Christ returns. Wake up early and catch its first presentation of light over darkness. Soak it up deep into your soul as it fulfills the morning and turns night into day.
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PTSD and CPTSD along with depression, etc. can wreak havoc on a person leaving them to fend off night terrors and a whole host of other symptoms. There is a cure! Overcoming PTSD by Kayleen Wright has the answer! Dear Ones, get connected to others who know how to heal from these awful diagnoses.
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I’m always intrigued by the response of the Pharisees to the works of Jesus. It feels like we are surrounded by Pharisees these day. I love how Jesus reminded them that the Sabbath was created for man, not man for the Sabbath. What I get out of that is rules were created for our safety and well being, but “Christians” get so caught up in the rules that we almost take them as idols. The purpose and intent behind what we do is so much more important than merely following a rule. The ultimate goal is to bring souls to repentance through Jesus. If the rules get in the way of that, we are focusing on the wrong thing.
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As a student in college, I struggle with this. I am a junior and I feel lost for what life is to bring me. I am ready for the next step, but I’m not yet in the place to take it. I will not know what law school I am going to until the fall, I do not know what part of the country I will be living in, I do not know what the Lord has planned on me. I’m this confusion, I find myself often praying to Him for immediate results. I hope to do well on the test the next day or get an internship I have just applied for. Todays reading has helped me to realize that I am the one who needs to immediately trust Him and His plan for me and know that this is what’s best. Amen
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