He Healed Them All

Scripture: Matthew 15:29-31 (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

29 Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee and climbed a hill and sat down. 30 A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all. 31 The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking, and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel. (Matthew 15:29–31 NLT)

The people in the area knew Jesus. They’d heard his teaching. They’d tasted some of his Miracle Buffet of fish and chips biscuits! Now they were rushing to get their sick and lame neighbors, going up and down every street and alley in their villages and bringing out all the infirm and laying them on the ground on pallets and mats.

People were carrying family members on litters, cripples were hobbling up on makeshift crutches, one man was leading three blind men holding on to a rope. There were people with tuberculosis, pneumonia, and terrible coughs. There were people with skin rashes, infected cuts and scratches, and painful boils. Little children crying from stomach aches and old men groaning from arthritis pain.

Jesus began to move among them, touching as many as he could reach, taking some by the hand and lifting them to their feet. You could hear him loudly saying, “Be healed!” and “Ears be opened!” and “Eyes see!” to others he couldn’t reach because of the crowd. Men dropped their crutches and jumped up and down, a paralyzed man got off the litter he was carried on and began helping others get to Jesus for a touch or a word. Moms freaked out as their sick children instantly recovered! It got crazy!

Lives were changed that afternoon! Whole villages were impacted as men who hadn’t been able to walk or work were healed and well and able to go to work the next day. Conversations began to take place between people who hadn’t heard and people who hadn’t spoken in years. Health was restored, lives were extended, joy and amazement exploded in their villages! His Kingdom came, his will was done!

Prayer:

Father, So often I read the words but don’t let it become real in my mind! Right now, briefly at least, I see the impact of Jesus’ power changing people’s lives. Please give my friends and me a vision for how Heaven’s Kingdom can and should impact our families, and our neighborhoods! May your Kingdom Come and your will be done!