Who sinned, this man or his parents?

Among the Old Testament names of God there is the revelation of "Yahweh Rapha"- Hebrew that we translate as “the Lord, our Healer.”  God made a great promise to His people: “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.” (Exodus 15)  Take note - God is the Healer, but His people have a responsibility to live in a way that 'accepts' His healing.

A person who abuses his body for years with poor diet, lack of rest, and unrelenting stress is foolish to blame God when his health fails. God created us with amazing recuperative abilities. But, with neglect we can destroy our health. He allows us to reject wholeness!  And, too … we can make a strong case from the Bible that God uses suffering and/or sickness as discipline, to make us aware of sin.

Yesterday at the celebration of Communion, I read these words - "For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died." (1 Cor. 11:29-30, NLT) When we take the Bread and Cup as God's people, we accept a responsibility to live God-honoring lives. If we don't, we invite God to discipline us with sickness. The Word says that "When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world." (1 Corinthians 11:32, NIV)

But, it both cruel and wrong to judge those suffering from some terrible sickness as sinners! “Oh, what did they do to deserve this?” some wonder when they see suffering. Snap conclusions based on the observable 'facts,' can lead us to get it all wrong. Jesus' disciples did that. One day they saw a blind man. They asked Jesus, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?” (John 9:2) They assumed that some moral failure must be the reason for his awful plight. Too many people who have chronic illnesses not only have to deal with the suffering of their disease, but they must cope with Christians who readily join with Job's comforters: “Confess your so that the Lord will heal you. Have more faith!”  They believe, wrongly, that there is always a straight line between ‘cause and effect.’  If there is suffering, then there must be guilt of sinful disobedience.

God’s work is complex, sometimes beyond the grasp of our reason. Jesus' told his disciples to reconsider their judgment! “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins, he was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him.” (John 9:3) Sometimes suffering serves to bring about the glory of God!  “Lord, I believe. Help me overcome my doubt,” I cry. God can use sickness and suffering like a chisel that shapes us into the image of Christ. He may use suffering to call the whole to compassion and unselfish service. And, yes - the pain of the present pries our fingers from their tight grip on the things of earth and causes us to reach for the Hand of our Father in Heaven.

Salvation from sin (Jesus' work on our behalf) includes restoration for the whole person: body, soul, and spirit. The fullness of our restoration will not be complete until His Kingdom comes. Though Christ finished our salvation and assured us of reconciliation with God, the Bible also teaches us that we are being saved, learning to live holy lives everyday!  We will not realize the perfection that is promised until the coming of the Lord. We know that even if today's sickness is healed by His power, we will eventually die. So, as we preach that “Jesus saves and heals” we do so with the humility that recognizes He has not put us in charge, that He remains the Savior and Healer. As with all good gifts that accompany our 'graced' status as sons and daughter of the King, we receive healing with gratitude, humility; amazed that God would care for us with such tenderness.

This is my hope, is it yours?
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.” - Revelation 22:1-5 NIV