WATCHWORD:
20 Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, 21 for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” 22 Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment. Matthew 9:20-22
11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. 15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. Luke 17:11-19
46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. 47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” 50 Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. Mark 10:46-52
Meditation:
WPF
Each of the scripture passages tells us about a healing attributed to Jesus. Anyone of us would would those miracles. We don’t understand how it happened, except that it was Jesus and He attributed it to their faith, “Go, for your faith has healed you.”
There are multiple instances in the scripture where Jesus has initiated a healing, a miracle. Where He provided a banquet for thousands out of a single young boy’s lunch, raised a little girl from a death-bed, or a friend from a tomb. We call those miracles, and rightfully so.
You may be wondering what WPF means. My daughter gave me this little figure of a pig with wings. It stands 2 inches by 2 inches, heavy like it is made of bronze. It signifies “When Pigs Fly”, something unexplainable, difficult, maybe impossible, that happened. Over the years, she and I have often laughed and marveled at what the Lord has done in our lives. Things beyond our plans, or even our imaginations. That is true for you as well.
A pig with wings — signifying a difficult, if not impossible happening. I may have thought the same thing when my first book, A Life for Barabbas, was published. Never thought that would happen … but the pigs were flying. Perhaps Bartimaeus was thinking I’ll never see, until pigs fly. Well, probably not, but he did have faith that the One calling to him could work a miracle and grant him his dream, “I want to see.”
My daughter tells the story of finding a scrap of paper on a hike in the California foothills, on the paper was a poem by e e cummings. That was the day she met her to-be husband. The find, the poem had meaning only because of that connection. When pigs fly?
Recently Pastor Robert Morris shared a true story of a couple in Texas. The wife had a Pet Scan which showed cancer throughout her body. The doctor claimed there was nothing that could be done. The couple went home and over a period of two or three months they, their church and their friends prayed and gave it all to the Lord. They moved on with their lives as best they could. When the time came for another Pet Scan, there was no trace of cancer anywhere in her body. How did she get healed? Jesus and her faith and the circle of faithful friends.
How about you? Are you faced with an impossible task? Are you getting up in years and you think you’re too old to do anything or to accomplish anything? I’m sorry to argue with you, but you are just plain wrong. Not one of us walking around this planet, breathing the air, using our minds to think, is done with our lives. We wouldn’t be there, we wouldn’t be interacting with others, if God did not have a purpose for us, a mission to complete.
My friends, pigs are flying everywhere, miracles abound. Your faith will reveal your purpose. Believe it. Act on it. Amen.
Prayer for Healing:
Heavenly Father, I need you to heal me for I believe nothing is impossible with you. Give strength to my soul, mind and body, place your hand on my heart. I need healing in each part of my being. I rejoice in you, Lord even when it seems I’m always losing my way. You are my creator and in you I find great joy. Grant me stamina to complete the mission that you have laid out for me. Grant me a humble spirit to recognize and to receive others who can touch, and help me, knowing full well that you are in everything that touches my life. I offer these prayers in the name of Jesus. Amen.
