Contemplative Bible Reading

Matthew 8:13 (New Living Translation)

13 Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.

This is part of the (hi)story of Jesus healing the young servant of a Roman army officer. Jesus didn’t put His hands on the servant or speak to the servant. Scripture never records Jesus meeting the servant.

A major part of the healing was the Roman officer believed. Belief led to miracle.

Now I come to the crushing part. I have known many people in my life who needed healing. I believed that God could heal them. I believed, but I didn’t see a miracle. Why not? Why did Jesus miraculously heal this servant but didn’t heal … long list of names of the sick I have known? Why not? This is crushing. The sick I have known needed healing. They deserved healing. Why not? I cannot stop asking, “Why not?”

It is at this point in this little blog post that I give the answer that soothes my crushed spirit. Well, sorry to disappoint, but I don’t have an answer.

God is God; I am not. Part of my challenge is to accept that and not be crushed by what I see as God’s answer to mankind’s pitiful state. I don’t see perfectly. I don’t understand perfectly. That is part of my burden. Please God, help me in my unbelief.