The Hand Of God

The Hand of God

(Share my story bout contracting Malaria in Malawi.)

Couldn’t see what was going on inside my body

Even though I was unaware of the virus that was attacking my vital organs, destruction was occurring.

So much in life is like that.

Often so blind to what is really going on.

Just as I couldn’t see that virus and just as I couldn’t see the antiviral drugs working, so we can’t always see the hand of God working until after he has orchestrated His plans for our lives.

Two weeks ago as I was reading a portion of scripture in Luke 4 it made me think about the hand of God. How he works behind the scenes and how he cares for you and me.

I was reading from v. 38-44 Follow along please as I read.

After leaving the synagogue that day, Jesus went to Simon’s home, where he found Simon’s mother-in-law very sick with a high fever. "Please heal her," everyone begged.

4:39 Standing at her bedside, he spoke to the fever, rebuking it, and immediately her temperature returned to normal. She got up at once and prepared a meal for them.

4:40 As the sun went down that evening, people throughout the village brought sick family members to Jesus. No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed every one.

4:41 Some were possessed by demons; and the demons came out at his command, shouting, "You are the Son of God." But because they knew he was the Messiah, he stopped them and told them to be silent.

4:42 Early the next morning Jesus went out into the wilderness. The crowds searched everywhere for him, and when they finally found him, they begged him not to leave them.

4:43 But he replied, "I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other places, too, because that is why I was sent."

4:44 So he continued to travel around, preaching in synagogues throughout Judea.

As I was reading this portion of scripture I found myself thinking about how incredible it must have been to see Jesus in action.

To see him heal everyone that came to him.

There must have been hundreds of people from all the surrounding villages who showed up at Peter’s house.

Can you see the picture?

The sun is going down and droves of people are pushing and shoving to get close to Jesus, just to have him lay His hands on them.

And then every time someone was healed, gasps or shouts of joy and amazement at being healed and seeing people healed.

Those who were blind could all of a sudden see again.

Those who were deaf could all of a sudden hear again.

No more cancer, no more Alzheimer’s, no more arthritis or hepatitis, you name the disease and Jesus took care of it! He put an end to it!

What I would give to be able to go back in time to see it in real life!

Not one movie made has ever been able to capture just how wild and crazy that night must have been.

Everyone was in awe of Him and could hardly believe their eyes.

It was like God himself had come down and showed them just how much he really loves them!

If only they knew – God truly was in their midst!

It’s like He just couldn’t resist taking care of their physical ailments!

- He loved them more than they could ever understand.

As I was reading this portion of scripture and pondering the wonder of living while Jesus was around, I found myself wondering: “Just how much do I truly believe in Jesus’ concern about what I am going through.”

I sat there and I talked to God and I said to Him: “God, are you truly still in the business of healing people? Intellectually I have never doubted it, but on an emotionally level I recognized that I was struggling with it!

“Did my problems really concern Him?”

“Was he going to heal my heart and help me get through the problems I was facing from day to day?”

I found myself wishing that Jesus would just appear again in person and take care of my problems the way he took care of all those people’s illnesses.

I wasn’t asking for a miracle! Just a little help.

Do you ever wish for that?

That your problems would just go away – that life would just be simpler, with fewer worries and heartaches?

I think we all do. I know I do.

But many times it’s hard to know how God is working and we can begin to doubt whether or not he is working on our behalf at all.

One thing I’ve realized about myself is that there are many times when all I want is for God to show up at my house, knock on my front door, come in and heal my heart and take care of all my problems, just like Jesus showed up at Peter’s mother-in-law’s house and instantly healed her.