HEALER OF THE HURTING

Word spread like wildfire at dawn's first light. Everyone woke up a little earlier that morning, as people sprinted from village to village to herald the good news: Jesus had arrived on their shore. The Scripture says, "And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well" (Mark 6:54-56).

The sea bank, tranquil only moments before, immediately became a makeshift hospital, as every kind of sick person was brought to Jesus for healing. Certainly, Christ and the disciples were exhausted from a long night on the raging sea, but the Lord's compassion for the hurting could not be exhausted. The same God-Man who walked on water now walked among the needy, with hands outstretched to heal the broken.

It was a remarkable sight. The blind began to see. The lame walked. The mute spoke. The crippled ran. Jesus turned no one away during this massive healing crusade.

However, more remarkable is that Jesus was silent through it all. Yet through His actions, He preached a sermon more powerful than words could express, namely, Jesus can be sought anywhere, anytime, by anyone in need. Christ is the Healer of the hurting, whose arms of grace are open to anyone willing to fall into them when they are afflicted. It doesn't matter what you've done, where you've been, or what burdens you are carrying--Jesus stands ready to receive you. And we would do well to gather up our sorrow and suffering, dragging them into the presence of Christ, so that He can give us what we need.

To clarify, Jesus is not a divine bellhop we can abuse to fetch anything we want. But like the needy multitude, we should run to Jesus with our needs, believing that He knows what is best for us, and that He will provide precisely what we need in His time. Lay your burdens, heartaches, and fears at His feet. And whether He relieves you of such afflictions or sustains you through them, His message is the same: He is there for you--anytime and at any place--and He will not turn you away.

This column is from 40 Days with Jesus, my 40-day devotional on Christ's life, teachings, and miracles, available for purchase on Amazon.