By His Stripes
By the time you read this I will have sand in my shoes, sweat on my brow and I’ll be deep in the deserts of the Middle East. Just in time for Christmas, I’m traveling to see my wife, Dr. Mickie Mathis, whom I haven’t seen since August.
Many of you are aware of the fact that Mickie has been involved in a very desperate fight against cancer. She has created quite a site on CaringBridge, a web site where anyone facing critical illness, going through cancer treatment or in recovery, can set up their own personal site. Mickie’s site includes several pictures, a personal journey detailing her chemotherapy treatments and her life in the Middle East and a guestbook. So many people all over the world have been so very kind to add comments and encouraging words in Mickie’s guestbook.
Would you mind if I ask you a favor? I want to be able to give Mickie a message from all of you. With your permission, I want to be able to pray with my wife and share with her that you are lifting her up in prayers and that you are celebrating this wonderful time of the year believing in God’s miraculous gift of healing. I thank you all for your love and support over the last few months and for your outpouring of kindness and compassion.
Many Christians who are undergoing a particularly difficult time in their lives will search the New Testament for comfort, direction, encouragement and wisdom. If you are in need of a healing touch from God, then may I suggest you look no further than two powerful verses of Scripture in the Old Testament? Let’s take a look at Isaiah 53:4-5 (Amplified):
“Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy]. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.”
One of the key words in this passage is “are.” It does not say that we may be healed. We must realize Christ suffered much on the cross at Calvary to wipe away our sins and to provide a way for our healing, both spiritually and physically. Today, if you need a healing touch from Jesus, pray a prayer of faith, believing in the God who heals. Praying God’s blessings upon you and that you have a very Merry Christmas.
