"Healed and Willing" - Mark 1:29-39 - February 5, 2006

I have always been troubled with evangelists and preachers who have healing services. They tell their listeners that there is someone in the audience with some incurable disease. A person comes to the platform and is miraculously healed. Many of these are fake and staged. I’m not saying that some folks aren’t genuinely healed, but I don’t believe the healing power of God is supposed to be a production or show.

When Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law he "took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them." This healing took place in private, in Simon’s home. Jesus was with a small group of disciples. It was a spontaneous event without any media exposure. While it is true that Jesus healed people in public places, they weren’t scheduled. When Jesus did heal people, he frequently told them to say nothing about what happened.

More importantly the healing stories of Jesus take place when he is moving from one place to another. The healing stories demonstrated Jesus’ authority. His mission was not to eliminate disease and illness from the world. His mission was to make people aware of the presence of God in their midst.

I am often called to a hospital, nursing home, or someone’s home because someone is gravely sick or near death. I don’t believe for a minute that those folks that I serve really expect me to cure their loved ones. They want me to pray and be with them. Although, I would be remiss to say there haven’t been times when folks were cured. I would never, however take the credit, nor would I go around boasting about the experience.

On the other hand, I am no different than anyone else. When someone is ill I pray for healing. Sometimes, God intervenes and miracles do happen. It has been my experience that folks want me to come because they need assurance that God is in their midst. When they can no longer help the person they love they feel vulnerable and helpless. It’s in those moments that they want to feel the presence of the almighty.

How do we know when God is present? It could be those times when everything gets strangely quiet. It could be those times when you witness the birth of a new born baby. Or, perhaps it’s those times when we realize we are mere mortals and our only hope is in a power beyond ourselves. Is not that the role of the preacher, to call people’s attention to a power greater than themselves?

I was visiting a woman in the hospital recently and there were no family members present. She was feeling very insecure and needed assurance. I stayed with her awhile but I didn’t feel as though I was doing her any good. As I was leaving her room I spoke to her nurse at the nurse’s station. "She seems anxious," I said. The nurse replied that she hadn’t met her family yet and was not sure who her primary guardian was. I informed her of her family situation and a little about her circumstances. The nurse told me that was helpful and it gave her confidence that she could now give the woman some reassurance.

That experience helped me to remember that I am not in the "pastoral care" business all by myself. There is a limit to what I, or anyone can do and acknowledging a power beyond ourselves is essential.

The healing stories in the gospel are here to illustrate that God is in our midst and the power of God is beyond our comprehension. That is further illustrated by the fact that Jesus frequently prayed and took time for private moments. "In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed." Jesus prayed for strength. Jesus prayed to be one with God. Jesus prayed to stay focused on his mission.

As I said earlier his mission was not to be a miracle worker. His mission was to proclaim the kingdom of God. When folks were cured it was in response to the good news, "The kingdom of God is at hand." People were transformed. Some were relieved of their infirmities. Others had changed their attitudes. Some followed and became disciples. Still others showed their respect to God through their good works and love toward their neighbors. Simon’s mother-in-law "served them."

As one who has been around death and dying for twenty five years I have learned that "healing" takes place in a variety of ways. I have seen times when a loved one died, but a family alienated comes together. I have witnessed the helpless of a family trying to decide whether or not to pull the plug. When they come to consensus their is harmony and peace. I have also seen folks embrace their illness and continue to do something with their lives.

When we are faced with a serious illness, we may pray without ceasing and others pray for us as well. We may not be healed but the door is still open for transformation.

When pitcher Dave Dravecky first noticed a lump on his pitching arm, he had it checked out, but nothing seemed amiss. The lump continued to grow, however, and eventually he had it biopsied. The result came back; a cancer called fibrosarcoma. The treatment called for aggressive surgery. Physicians had little hope that Draveky would ever pitch again. Dave and is wife decided they should tell their children. They explained that Daddy was going to be in the hospital for awhile and he probably wouldn’t play baseball anymore. They thought the news would devastate them. Tiffany responded by saying, "You mean we won’t have to move anymore: I can stay in the same school? We’ll be in Ohio, near grandpa and grandma?" Then their son, Jonathan, said, "Dad, does this mean you’ll be able to play football with me every day?" The children responded to their parents in a way they did not expect. More than anything it helped Dave cope with his illness. (from God’s Little Lessons for Life for Dad, Honor Books, Tulsa, OK)

Physical ailments dominate our conversations. We all spend a huge amount of our resources for our health. Consequently we pray for healing and wholeness. When death is inevitable there is nothing we can do. Nevertheless, we are not alone. God is with us and wants us to be open to the possibilities of change.

This was Jesus’ lesson for his disciples but they didn’t get it. After he healed Simon’s mother-in-law, they brought more people to Jesus for healing. And when he was praying they searched for him that still others could be healed. Perhaps they saw Jesus as a miracle worker, negating the need for them to be involved themselves. Jesus’ response was not what you expect. He says to the disciples, "let’s move on to neighboring towns" so he could continue to preach the good news.

In other words, Jesus moved on. He didn’t stay in one place as a kind of resident miracle worker. By doing that his followers would become complacent. Healing would continue as long as he continued to move forward. We need to move forward too, doing research to cure diseases or extending ourselves beyond our comfort zones for stimulation and growth.

Those who become ill respond best by constant movement. Rather than quit and allow illness to paralyze us, God wants us to be creative and find ways to stay active. My eighty five-year-old mother has arthritis and walks with a cane. She has resisted long walks and activity which could help her. Recently her doctor convinced her to take physical therapy. Every day she participates in planned activities which forces her to exercise. She told me that she is improving. Perhaps because she now has something she didn’t have before; hope.

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio