Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.
Ezekiel 47:12b
For the month of July, this devotional will shift from a daily devotional to a weekly devotional. Each week will take a moment to share what we believe God wants to see in North Gate Church. The hope is that you and I might catch the vision, as it’s a vision that God has for His people, regardless of where they live or what community of Christ they engage in. I pray that it’s a blessing to you and draws you closer to God and to His depths. I encourage you to take a moment today to read Ezekiel 47:1-12 to provide some context for this conversation.
The vision for North Gate Church is based upon portions of Ezekiel 47: to see people sourced rightly, healed completely, discipled deeply, and giving generously. This week focuses on “healed completely.”
This verse in Ezekiel speaks again of the trees. While Ezekiel shares that the waters bring life, the leaves of the trees bring healing. James 5:16 shares,
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
Because the healing comes from the leaves (hands) of the trees (people), we see that God invites us into a community of God that plays a role in sharing the healing power of God with each other. Trees who are sourced rightly have healing to share. God wants to see this in the life of His people.
So why don’t we see it? Why do we not see people healed when we pray?
As believers, we live in the come, not-yet-come Kingdom. Meaning, when Christ Jesus came, He reestablished the Kingdom in its fullness which includes healing and wholeness, but we also have a part to play in bringing forth the Kingdom. Jesus invites us to welcome God’s Kingdom as we pray:
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
2 Corinthians 1:10 provides language to this Kingdom work:
He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.
The work of Christ happened on the cross, will happen in the end of all things, and is happening in our lives today like a slow-reveal of His Kingdom.
Like in all things, healing involves God’s part and our part. Knowing our part and His part and the difference between may be a challenge. If we have learned anything from going through the book of Matthew, though, we must remember that Jesus doesn’t operate in formulas. In asking “why don’t people get healed,” we can desire an answer, but we shouldn’t expect a formula.
Where does this leave us?
It leaves us with this knowledge: healing happens in community when relying on God as our source. His part involves miraculous power, our part is to place our hands on one another in prayer for healing.
The broken world we live in may not always provide a space conducive to healing, and surely there are instances that we do not understand or may not understand until heaven. We do know from the life and example of Jesus that we have a God who heals and desires to heal… completely.
What do I mean by completely? Body, soul, and spirit.
As triune beings made in the image of our triune God, we can experience sickness and brokenness in any of these areas. While difficult to map, these interlinked areas impact one another. Sickness in the soul can sometimes be felt in the body. Similarly, sickness in the body can be experienced in the soul. The spirit of a person plays a role in their life and well-being as well as spiritual practices such as fasting, Sabbath, and the like impact our bodies and souls.
Though we do not always see it, God wants to bring complete healing to His people. I’ve seen miracles of healing, and I know that complete healing is coming. Lord, let Your Kingdom come. Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to live in the difficult space of the come, not-yet-come Kingdom that is unfolding by trusting Him when you don’t understand. Perhaps God wants you to be a part of unfolding His Kingdom by praying that it come. Maybe God wants you to take a step by laying hands on a friend and praying for healing. Perhaps God wants you to ask for that prayer. Maybe today God wants you to invite His healing into parts of who you are that you didn’t know needed His touch.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a step today… just one is fine.
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