Daily Devotional, October 14, 2023 The God that heals
"Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise." Jeremiah 17:4
I was listening to a speech the other day and what the speaker said made me think. “What has God done for you lately?” he asked, saying that the deed should not have been done many years ago, but instead very recent. He said, new testimonies are needed all the time as it means that God is present in your life.
So I thought about my answer, and I was happy because day after day I can say that God has been doing something for me. If I would be asked to share one that is a bit striking though, is maybe that one time when I volunteered for a big church project.
Like some women, I experience painful monthly periods. Like the one that you do not want to leave your home at all because you just want to curl up in a ball. At the time when the project was announced, I volunteered for it although I know that there is a chance that the week-long activity could fall into my period days. So I prayed and prayed and asked my children to pray for me too so that I could be well during those days because I really want to be part of that church work.
In my course of praying, I discovered that one of the names of our Almighty is Jehovah Rapha, which means the “God that heals.” He revealed this character in the Book of Exodus, as He provided water for the Israelites to drink: “If you listen carefully to 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 15:26). And so, since then, I have been praying hard, and holding on to that characteristic and promise of our Heavenly King.
The activity week came, and yes, it coincided with the week of my period. My period should have started that same Monday of the project but for some reason my first period day came on the third day of the project. I usually experience cramps by Day 1, but the cramping came on the last day of our week-long activity. With the help of a one-time dose of pain relief med, I was able to volunteer until Friday. Was it just a coincidence? I don’t think so. It was the Lord’s mercy I believe.
What made me tear up though was how the Lord made sure I understood that He was the one who took my pain away. There was this four-year old kid in my group who had been extra clingy to me since day one of our program. Like he followed me all the time, made sure I was by his side all the time, sat at my lap each time he had the opportunity, and would just hold my hand the whole time. He was not like that with the other adult volunteers. Just to me.
At first I was just happy that he felt at home with me since the other kids were mostly adamant when their parents dropped them off. But day by day, I just got used to him being next to me. And do you know what his name is? His name is Rapha. And I really cried when my middle child pointed out how that kid’s name was just like God’s — JEHOVAH RAPHA. Yes, including the spelling. He could have been RAFA for Rafael right? But no. Every possession of him had that name labeled on it.
On the third day of the activity, I think even the project head noticed how clingy Rapha had been to me. She talked to me on the sidelines and explained to me that Rapha “was special.”
So I gave it some thought and indeed I think he really is special, but not the way the world paints it. I think that boy was special in a sense that he was like an angel, not leaving me the whole time. Clinging to me as if saying everything shall be alright. If he were indeed an angel sent by the Lord, then I would say he has accomplished his mission of not just healing me, but making me feel loved from above.
Some may see my healing story as too simple, or maybe just a plain coincidence, but for me, it is a miracle from my Heavenly Father. You see, our Lord is a God that heals both physical and emotional ailments, all we need to do is believe, abide, and ask. The Letter of Apostle James says: “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:1). At the end of the day, it is up to us to claim His promise of healing.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Luke 8:42-48 and Mark 2:5-12 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: What has God done for you recently?
Conversation with the Lord: Almighty Father, I praise and thank you for being the greatest physician, who can heal both seen and unseen wounds and affliction. I surrender all my heartaches and whatever ailments I may have, and those of my family. I know that you will heal us in your own time. Amen.