Devotion
The Healing Continues
Frances Taylor
Jesus continues his journey proclaiming the Good News of the coming of the Kingdom and his fame spread throughout the area. Word of the healings that had taken place encouraged people to bring their sick to him wherever he went. They just wanted to touch his clothing hoping to be cured. We often go to Jesus begging for healing as well.
The problem often is that the answer we get from God is not always the one we want. The one suffering from cancer dies. The illness is not cured and the person continues to suffer. Jesus didn't cure everyone either as we learn from further reading of the Gospels. Today there are people who are known as healers and God continues to heal in order to give witness to his power, But, again, not everyone who goes to Fatima, Lourdes, or Medugorje seeking healing are healed. And healing does not mean that those who are healed have more faith than those who are not.
I have a friend whose first 2 children were born with birth defects. She was angry with God to the point where she denied his existence. One day at work she fell and shattered her elbow. In spite of surgeries and physical therapy, she was unable to life her arm above her shoulder. Her mother heard of a well-known healer who was coming to the area and convinced my friend to go with her to the service. During the course of the service she felt heat in her arm. Doctors examining her later said that nothing short of a miracle was responsible for the total healing of her elbow.
We know that God's ways are not always our ways, but we still don't like it when God says no, or I have a better idea. Healing can be physical, spiritual or psychological. For many people, healing comes with a sense of peace that everything is in God's hands. This can be more of a comfort for us than any other form of healing.
Prayer
Lord, when we call upon you in faith you answer us. May we accept your answer to our prayers trusting that your ways are best. Amen.
Devotion
We will Do It
Why do you obey
Frances Taylor
Moses came down from the mountain and told the people what the Lord had commanded. They all said, Okay! No problem! As we shall see in a few days, that didn't last long. The Israelites said yes over and over to God, and then said, no, over and over again. So much like us! It's a good thing God forgives us over and over again. It is always interesting to read the full account of the commandments and their amplified meaning in Exodus, because it gives an idea of what the civilization was like in those days. The commandments were not all totally new as many of them were based on the code of Hammurabi. The first three commandments were new as they listed the proper behavior towards God. The other seven concerned social behavior and social structure. So, what's the difference between Hammurabi's code and the Ten Commandments other than the first three? The difference is in the why. We don't obey the commandments because they promote civility...
Morning Prayer
Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.
Inspiration
Our mouths may be filled with all sorts; idle chatter, gossip, news, profanities or slander. Yet it would be best of all to fill it with praise and love. God gave us our voices to not only communicate, but to choose our words wisely. Don't use it to injure or babble, but to spread his gospel and praise.
Prayer
Lord Almighty I exalt your name on earth as in Heaven. Grant me the wisdom and the will to spread your name and deeds, to use my voice for beauty and truth rather than lies and disparagement. Grant me this Lord, in your holy name I pray, Amen.
