Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. ~ Luke 23:46 One of the things I struggle with is when people associate illness with some form of punishment from God. Currently I am meeting with two people who believe that God is going to heal them of their illnesses and they are going to live longer. When I asked one of them, "and if you die?" she responded, "Then I didn't have enough faith."
Before I go any further, I believe in miracles. I believe that they happen daily, and are often reasoned away. Do I believe that God could heal these two people? Yes, I do. Will God heal these people? I don't know. Over the years I have prayed for God's perfect and complete healing for more people than I can count. The results of those prayers are not always known, but what I have learned is that God's final healing for us, and most amazing miracle, occurs the moment we surrender our final breath. Having been at the bedside of hundreds of people who have died, I tell people that it often looks the same. It is in the moment of our death that we leave behind all that we have known. In talking with people who have had near-death experiences, their sharing often is filled with the description of peace, overwhelming feelings of love, and no longer experiencing pain. The final healing involves our total trust that we belong to God. It is the relationship with God that we need for our mind, body and soul. It is that belonging and healing that allowed Jesus to declare, "Into your hands I commend my spirit," and it will be ours as well on the day that we, too, experience our final healing. Stay in God's grip! G. Todd Williams (c) 2019 Comments are closed.
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AuthorRev. G. Todd Williams is the author of the book, "Remember Me When..." and is a former hospice chaplain and pastor. Archives
February 2024
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