Biblical Stories of Healing
Theme for Week One in Lent
Reflection By Scott Stoner
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
- John 10:10
While our overall theme for this Lenten devotional is Healing and Wholeness, each Monday we will introduce a sub-theme for the week that relates to our larger focus. This week, we will focus on exploring biblical stories of healing.
Yesterday, Brian Cole reflected on Mark 8, where a blind man experiences progressive healing. After Jesus’ first touch, he asks the man, “What do you see?” Based on the response (that people were indistinguishable from trees), Jesus provides additional healing.
This week, we’ll ask ourselves, “What do you see?” as we examine healing stories from both Old and New Testaments. Some stories may be new to you; others familiar. Yet as yesterday’s reflection showed, our ability to see evolves over time, as we encounter and re-encounter the Living Word.
Together we will discover that God’s healing approach is always holistic. Sometimes a physical sight issue or other health problem is healed like in the story from yesterday; other times, God offers emotional or spiritual healing. In the story from Mark 8, it is vision that is restored, expanding the man’s limited sight so he can experience and see God’s love in transformative ways. God is always working to expand our vision so that we can better see and more fully understand.
Making It Personal: Do you have a favorite biblical healing story? Do you remember when and why it became meaningful to you? Have you experienced or witnessed God’s healing presence firsthand?