Jesus didn't come to do miracles, although he did have the authority to do them...and did. He came to let us know there would now be a choice as to who we would serve. Wellll...actually, there was always that choice; he just wanted to remind us of it. He was going to make sure we could find our way back home and that death would not have a hold on us because of our sin nature, our self-serving desires. He was prepared to pay the price of our really bad choices and the consequences of them.
We were created to live forever and Jesus came to remind us of that. He taught that we need not die in our sinful nature. We could live with love as our guide...not hate (results of self-centeredness). He came to teach forgiveness and how to live in a world full of injustice. He came to wrap us up in the knowledge of just how very much he loves us. Enough to ignore the threats on his own life. Enough to command evil to depart from us. Enough to pay the price, the consequences of sin, even though he was sinless. For us. So that we might truly live. Not for the indulgences we so often seek, but for the peace of mind that comes with doing what's right. For seeing beyond the obvious. Beyond what our natural eyes see. To see the hidden cries of someones heart. Of our own heart. The deep need to be truly loved. Not with superficial love (if you give me what I want, then I will love you), but with love that is unconditional (I will always be for you...not against you).
He came to show us how to be compassionate to those less fortunate. To show love to those whose load is so heavy that it's breaking them. And He has asked us to share the good news with them. Not to just pray with them, but to take a step beyond prayer and be the answer to that prayer. To not only "bind up", to heal their heart, but to give out of our abundance. What if we were meant to serve others beyond praying over them with beautiful words?
Which one do you think is more important? Sharing the news of God's love for us and leading others to repentance, or preforming miracles (such as sustenance for the body)? Maybe you would say, "Why can't there be both?" But if you had to choose healing for your body, or healing for your soul, which would you choose?
Something to consider: When Jesus healed the people that were brought to him, many times he would say, "Your sins have been forgiven. Go your way and sin no more." So...was there an automatic worship, an automatic repentance and belief of the one who healed them, thus giving them entrance into the kingdom of God? Did Jesus not only heal the body, but also the human soul at the same time? Otherwise, why would he tell them to go and sin no more (John 5:14)? There is so much more to understand here, than meets the eye. Don't just read the Word...dive deep into it.
Just how much should we trust the unknown? Are we actually playing a game of Truth or Dare? We must all decide...
As always, here you will find me...in Mary's World
