Faith heals

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 287, 23 May 1989, Page 13

Faith heals

People of the Waimarino came with their sicknesses and diseases. Deafness, arthritis, back injuries, depression, heart disease and asthma - all the afflictions of the human race - and many went away miraculously healed.

Others experienced deep inner healing or partial healing which continued until full recovery was reached. This did not happen in Galilee or Judaea, but Ohakune! The healing was a very real, present-day happening, affecting real everyday people. The Healer, however is the same. God's Power that flowed so freely to heal us 2000 years ago is still available today. It may seem to many people that miracles of healing are for a select few - probably just the very holy amongst us - or else happen only overseas, to people we don't know. Many people in the Waimarino however, have seen that this is not the case.

How is it possible for such happenings - soul-stirring for the believer and unsettling for the sceptic - to occur? And how do we account for them? 2000 years ago Jesus left instructions for all his followers: "Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing." "These signs will accompany those who believe - they will place their hands on sick people and they will be cured." The Oxford dictionary defines faith as 'reliance, or trust in. Belief founded on authority.' By placing our faith and trust in God the healer, we may expect to experience His healing power. And to maintain that healing we need to ensure that

we continue with faith and trust in our relationship with God. Freely available miraculous healing power challenges everything that is logical and reasonable to our orderly minds. It does not fit in with our regular pattern of thinking. What reason have we to dare to believe for something so seemingly unlikely as a miracle of healing? Only the desire to be rid of sickness, disease or injury that prevents us from living life to the full, and the belief that there is one who can bring us health. Jesus stated that He had come, that we might have life and have it to the full. Of all the good things we could have in life, good health would seem to be the most desirable to enable us to live a full life. God Ioves us, whatever physical state we are in. He has provided the means for our bodies to be well. Let us enjoy it!