"On Earth as it is in Heaven..."

(02/15/09)

 Recently I had to go to the doctor because I thought I had an inner ear infection.  While I was in the waiting room, a great place to ponder this subject, I began to think about healing.  When it comes to the topic of health and healing we tend to think of our physical bodies first.  During His walk on this earth, however, Jesus most often concerned Himself with spirit man first.  We see evidence of this in the healing of the paralytic. “Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat.  When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son: your sins are forgiven.”  At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”  Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?  Which is easier: to say, ’Your sins are forgiven‘, or to say, ’Get up and walk’?  But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins…”  Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”  And the man got up and went home.” (Matthew 9: 2-7, NIV)   By forgiving his sins first, Jesus let the paralytic know that the spiritual must come before the physical. 

Let’s consider the Lord’s Prayer.  “Our Father in Heaven, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10, NIV, emphasis mine)  Even in prayer, Jesus makes it clear that the spiritual comes before the physical.  What I’ve learned in my own prayer life is that once we pray in faith, believing that God’s will is best and He is working all things for our good, God steps in to action in the spiritual realm.  “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24, NIV)  Our job from that point on is to thank Him for what He is doing, and wait for the manifestation of that request.  Believe, and you will receive the answer to your prayers.