Healing
PREFACE This is a work in progress. There may be more to say later; perhaps some new discoveries will be made. I don’t know. Perhaps my experiences will be helpful, hopefully insightful. In any event, this is where I stand as of today’s date. Things could change; probably will; I might change my mind. Anyway take it with a grain of salt, but at least I hope you find a glimmer of light, too.
On my mind lately has been the subject of healing. Not in the sense I might have pursued in my medical-scientist days, but in the context of the healing only God can bring; I think that is much more important!
OK, I’ll go there: Can miracles be done? Are miracles seen today in the twenty-first century? Jesus said in the Gospel of John, chapter 14, verses 11-14: Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. This is to me an astonishing and pretty radical declaration by Jesus. What can it all mean?
Paraphrasing CS Lewis in his book, Miracles, and asking whether miracles are real one must first believe that they are possible, however improbable. This is not gullibility, but if one does not believe miracles are even possible a priori (I include healing obviously) then no amount of evidence will prove their existence. So, believing that omnipotent God can do absolutely anything, the real question is whether he heals at all. That is in addition to intervening with other miracles. Under what circumstances does God heal? If he will, how often will he? How does God heal? How do we know that God has healed?
Jesus is not an idea, an archetype, nor a good man trying to do right, yes, and not merely a prophet. Jesus is a historical reality. He existed, based on evidence of a conventional scientific nature. He was crucified; not as a matter of faith, but as a matter of fact. So, again, ask the right question: Because he is, who is he? Accepting as given the words of Jesus in John 14 (above), he said there and elsewhere throughout the gospels that he is God, in the flesh. If true, it is undoubtedly THE miracle of miracles! And with that, all bets should be off the table, but Jesus even addresses our implicit skepticism, “if you don’t believe what I say, believe what I do.” The miracles of Jesus stand as the evidence of who he says he is. To not believe this is to not believe what Jesus says. To not believe what Jesus says is to not believe who he is.
So, can a scientist believe in miracles? This is a hard question for me partly because it requires a definition, agreement about that which is not easily apprehended. Scientists tend to be quite skeptical of explanations for things that are improbable. This skepticism is sometimes interpreted as unbelief, lack of faith, heresy, or apostasy even. The sun rises in the morning; or, I should say the sun appears to rise in the morning. It doesn’t rise. We rotate toward it as we ride this spinning globe at about 1,000 miles per hour. Sunrise is not a miracle. That the sun exists and the earth rotates in a vast cosmos is, however, miraculous. Not just because we don’t understand fully how it all came about: God is not the god of our ignorance. No, it is because God’s word states that it exists, plainly, because God made it plainly so (Romans 1:19). Therefore, we have the fact that something exists rather than not; we have the story of Jesus, God in the flesh, presented in the Bible; we have the existence of Israel persisting to this day. All are miracles along with myriad others. Yes, God does miracles; believe the works themselves. Yet, believing he can do them is not the same as believing he will.
I will define miracle as a supernatural intervention in Nature. Not everything or any old thing is a miracle, even though they may be ultimately based on miraculous origins. So, there are clear examples of miracles, supernatural interventions. Likewise, there are examples from consequences of processes that can be studied scientifically (mechanically) and although having their ultimate origins in a miraculous event, are not themselves miracles. God has established laws by which we investigate and understand that which he created. As Romans 1:19 says, they point to the Creator. These laws can be understood, obviously, miracles cannot. Let that settle in. Our ability to understand is natural, miracles are supernatural and therefore outside our understanding. CS Lewis would like that.
Having dealt with the nature of the works and their miraculous origin and to some extent their significance, Jesus goes on to say that the one who believes in him will do the same. In fact Jesus promises we will do “greater works than these.” If ever there was a conundrum this has to be one of the greatest ever posed. If we believe, we will do the works and more. Take off your sandals for we are headed onto holy ground.
I would conjecture that many Christians have had the experience of praying for another's healing. With fervency and sincerity, we await the result. More often than not in my experience, nothing happens; more on this later. Or they visit the physician and through some alchemy, they are healed or they have a good lab report. I have rarely heard from reputable sources that on occasion, an immediate healing results. Thus, three outcomes in summary: 1) God doesn’t heal. 2) God heals through his other agencies. 3) God heals directly. I would now like to pose some questions and parse these different outcomes; please keep in mind that I am trying to describe our common experiences. I am not trying to push any conclusions. Yet.
GOD DOESN’T HEAL?
This one is fraught with rationalizations. He didn’t heal because God didn’t want to heal. It was simply not part of his plan. The patient didn’t want to be healed or did not believe strongly enough that God could heal him; maybe they didn’t understand that which God wanted for them. Usually, if not always, Jesus asked the seeker what they wanted before the miracle. Two exceptions come to mind: Lazarus and the woman that touched the hem of his garment. Lazarus was dead and therefore had nothing to say about being raised. The woman was healed by Jesus, but he wanted to make sure she understood that it was her faith that made her well. Implicit in these events is the idea that God doesn’t heal because we don’t have enough faith. But Jesus doesn’t say, if you really believe in me, he says the one who believes will do… Perhaps I am pushing the text too hard.
Really, does nothing happen? Jesus tells us in the gospel of John, chapter 16, verse 33, “In this world, you will have trouble… but I have overcome the world!” There is a work in the mystery of suffering, a work that only God can see in the eternal context. We may glimpse it to varying degrees, but we don’t comprehend the fullness of the mystery. The suffering of Job comes to mind; it is not until the very end of the story that Job understands. This idea has been perverted by some, that suffering is a judgment for sin committed by the sufferer; perhaps yes, perhaps no. Suffering came into the world when sin entered, however, and that is the whole truth. God uses it as a schoolmaster; it is a form of law. The question is not why am I suffering, but what am I to learn? Suffering is humbling.
Bottom line: Sometimes the answer is no. Not because he can’t, but because God has something better in mind for us. He is saying, “Trust me.” Rationalization? Maybe. Food for thought? Definitely.
GOD HEALS THROUGH OTHER AGENCIES?
Another common rationalization may hinge on the assertion that God doesn’t do miracles, doesn’t heal, in this modern time. We have doctors, after all. Aren’t doctors a product of of God’s providence and our learning to master our environment, asserting dominion ourselves over disease and destruction? Or so the reasoning goes. There is, however, truth in it. Many who serve in the medical profession are motivated by altruism, even faith. Their work stands on its own merit; it is legitimate. But the argument is a bit of a red herring, a rabbit trail, off target even. God is sovereign over all things. If the heart of the king is in God’s hands, so are the minds and the hands of the physicians, but it is God that does the healing! He has ordained that our bodies work just so and sometimes, they need a little help. Though true, it is not a little naive: Does God heal? Today?
GOD HEALS DIRECTLY?
I believe God can and does, but it is important to discern when He has intervened supernaturally, miraculously. Recovery from grave illness may be such an example, or, it may not. A reversal of enmity towards others may be another example, or it may be simply enlightened self-interest. What I am trying to get at is this: There may be a supernatural or natural explanation of one course or another; a miracle or not a miracle. I think it is critical to distinguish the difference.
Though I am a skeptic, it does not make me an unbeliever. For example, a television preacher stares into the camera, a look of intense concentration and concern molds his face. His lip move in silent prayer. Then suddenly his eyes opening, he declares, “God has told me there is a lady in the audience suffering from intense nerve pain. In the name of Jesus, be healed!” Soon, word is received that there was indeed a lady in Arkansas with neuropathy and she has not had an attack since being prayed for by the preacher two weeks previously. Is this a miracle? Perhaps, but not necessarily. How do we know?
First the skeptic’s answer: If it is a miracle, is it important? If it is important, should it be investigated? If it is investigated, shouldn’t a verdict be rendered? Word of mouth is sketchy. Neuropathy can be hard to diagnose and episodes come and go. Little old ladies in Arkansas can be crazy. This scenario is not like those reported in the Bible. Jesus healed in public; there were histories reported. Blindness, lameness, deafness, and death are readily apparent and permanent; healing is a dramatic reversal and highly improbable. These events were often documented or noted by the religious authorities who may have had ulterior motives. Again, they were not trivial or commonplace.
Next the believer’s answer: To call supernatural that which is not miraculous is profanity. The works Jesus refers to, the miracles, were evidence of his divinity. “I am in the Father and the Father is in me!” This is holy ground! Miracles are of supreme importance and we should not trivialize them by failing to recognize that fact. There are no minor miracles! And we who have been sent out with the good news had better not trivialize them for they are meant to demonstrate the power and validity of that which God has to say to us. Fall on our knees and cover our faces! Give glory to God! These are genuine responses to genuine miracles. They are not the silver that was common in Solomon’s kingdom, they are the precious, refined gold of the New Jerusalem, they are God’s Word made flesh. Holy ground! They are to be venerated!
Bottom line: Don’t call silver, gold. And don’t dare call gold, silver.
So can a scientist believe in miracles? Yes. I must. Why? Because God’s Word, the Bible, says that I must. “Believe me because of the works themselves.” Jesus said it, I believe it, that’s good enough for me. But if you tell me you’ve experienced a miracle, do I believe you? No. I may believe you believe you experienced a miracle, but that does not mean you did. Because I don’t believe you doesn’t mean you didn’t, either. Stay with me. Truth matters. Proof depends on truth. So, if you want to prove that a miracle was done to you, you have to show me proof so that I can arrive at truth. Before you accuse me of apostasy, remember this: Thomas was a skeptic, but he was also an Apostle and he was not going to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead without putting his hands in Jesus’ wounds. And what did Jesus say to this? “Do not doubt but believe.” Read the rest of this passage in John 20 and think about this incredible conversation.
Let’s get back to John 14:14, “If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.” Is this not absolutely clear? Be done with foolish rationalizations! Squirm on the hook of this one, Dave! At this moment, I have to come down to three little but critical words, “in my name.” I have prayed for the gift of healing; to my knowledge it has not been granted. I see suffering all around me. At my age, friends and family are afflicted with deterioration and disease. Cancer. Dementia. Arthritis. Sickness of various kinds. Addiction. Filthiness. Impurity. Sin. All this, and I want to stand against it. I want. I see. I pray. I realize. I rationalize. In his name is not my name, however. Jesus doesn’t heal for me; he heals to glorify the Father. To ask “in his name” must be to ask in abject humility, I think; to ask for no other reason than to glorify our Father in Heaven, no?
For me, this is very, very hard. No mixed motives. Wouldn’t it be cool to see someone healed? Hey, I’ve got the gift! I’d love to see suffering relieved. But would it glorify the Father? Frankly, I don’t know how to ask in Jesus’ name with such singleness of purpose, that is, with no other thought than to glorify God the Father. Perhaps that is why I have never seen it, seen someone healed. Sadly, I do not know whether this is sound reasoning or merely an excuse, a rationalization.
So, where are we? The kicker is that Jesus is not speaking only about healing, he says “whatever you ask in my name.” What does that include? To me, it is all encompassing, everything; whatever. Let me say that again: Whatever. And this weighs on me.
Back to the Word. If we believe, then we will do his works and even more. Jesus says he will do whatever we ask in his name. Why? So that the Father may be glorified. Jesus says again, “If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.” There is no qualification. There is only the challenge to believe. Can a scientist believe in miracles? Can a culture expect miracles when it is under delusion, the false faith that science can explain all things? Not, healing as miracle through the graces of doctors and medicine, but healing as supernatural intervention by God Almighty. Is belief sufficient? Does believing something is something make it something it is not? Is it important? Should it be documented? How? Do I have a low or high view of miracles?
EPILOGUE
The foregoing ruminations were written in late April of 2024. Since April a number of things have happened to me as prologue to this writing in early October of the same year.
In May, Memorial Day, we went down to Texas to see our grandson and kids and attended church with them. A little suspicious because it was a huge congregation, I wanted to make sure it wasn’t a scam like some of the giant ministries in the South have proven to be. It wasn’t, by the way. Great place, great people, and the sweet aroma of Christ permeated the air. The sermon was terrific, Daniel 3, entitled “The Fourth Man in the Fire.” Read it!
Returning to Arizona, I wasn’t really thinking about the sermon, except that it was a good one. A few days later, however, I notice an awful ache in my back. Over the course of a couple weeks it morphed into the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life. It got steadily worse. It came in waves. I couldn’t even stand up straight! Shortly thereafter an ultrasound revealed kidney stones, which I’d been afraid of getting for a long time. My dad experienced them a couple times. Women who’ve had them say they are more painful than having a baby; I wouldn’t know, but I was getting close to my limit and praying, “Lord please be with me in the fire! Sustain me in this crucible of pain.” I didn’t want to curse God and die, but dying would not have been so bad! Later I realized that sermon was timed to prepare me.
The next evening, I attended a Wednesday prayer service for our community. I said hello to a few people, but sat in the back in case I had to leave unexpectedly; this I explained briefly to my pastors. There I sat in agony, trying to hang on when the Pastor looked at me across the sanctuary and said, “David, would you mind if we prayed for you?”
Surprised, I nodded and several people came around and laid their hands on me. All at the same time, some were praying in English, some in tongues and I could only hear what sounded like chaos. After what seemed like ten minutes or so, I thanked them and then alone, I sadly recognized that nothing had changed. Nothing! But then, what did I expect? I felt guilty thinking scientists don’t really believe in miracles, do they? Nevertheless, I did feel encouraged by their care and their prayers.
But even worse, the pain intensified! I was nearly crying driving home and gritted out to my wife what had happened. Nothing could be done it seemed for the waves of torture; I just had to endure. Exhausted, I hoped for sleep and finally dozed off. About an hour later I awakened to the most excruciating pain yet and hobbled into the bathroom. All of a sudden the pain was gone. Let me say that again, the pain was gone! Gone. Just gone! I woke up my wife with shouts of hallelujah.
In retrospect, I cannot say whether God caused the stones to pass or whether he removed them from my kidneys. However, I can say we prayed and three hours later, the agony was gone. And this I know: God did it! He kept me, was with me in that fire, in that torture chamber! How do I know? Because I endured. Believe the work! The questions, the sequence, the Daniel 3 sermon, the fears, the prayers, the sudden relief, just coincidences? Only if you believe miracles are impossible; I don’t, I can’t! Moreover, these events enabled me to complete the story I started; the one you’re reading now. A story of God’s grace in the fire.
Remember His providential love. His sovereignty over history. Keep that in mind during this time of world-wide chaos and fear. Be ready come what may. Come Lord Jesus, come! Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and remember the Christmas story: Jesus was announced as the “Prince of Peace!” Good or bad, choose the good and remember Matthew 11:28. Come!
Minor point: Oh, and a few weeks later, an abdominal MRI on the first of August showed no stones in my kidneys! Believe the works.