I saw a picture of myself in the Scriptures today. I wish I could say it was in something beautiful like Jesus loving the children or Paul preaching the Gospel. But, no, it was in a sick child that has seizures. Matthew 17:15b-16 says, “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
Oh, how I hate that I can relate to that. No I don’t have epilepsy. I don’t have any other disorder that causes seizures. But, time and time again I suffer from this disease of unrighteousness. I fall into the fires of my lust as I’m walking down the street or surfing the internet. I get burned by the fires of my anger as I get irritated with my kids or something someone has done in the church. I fall into the water of doubt or being overwhelmed. Again and again I am like this boy whose father has come to Jesus. Because of my sinfulness I continue to find myself in harms way.
I’ve tried a few things here and there to fix my disease. But, most of them do little if any good. My pastor can’t heal me. My friends can’t heal me. My wife can’t heal me. My children can’t heal me.
The disciples couldn’t heal this boy–that whole faith thing gets in the way sometimes. But, if I really want to be healed of my disease I need to follow the lead of this father as we read in Matthew 17:14, “When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15‘Lord, have mercy on my son.’” And guess what, Jesus brought healing.
I need healing. You need healing. In this season of resolution making, can we come to grips with the fact that God can certainly use accountability groups, pastors, and friends to help us overcome. But, if we really want to overcome what is overcoming us we need to fall to our knees and plead with God for mercy. If I sincerely do that, if you sincerely do that, I’m willing to put my neck out there and say, “Healing will come.”
Praise GOD!!!!
