And He (Jesus) said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation…  And these signs shall accompany those who believed; in My name they will … lay hands on the sick and they will recover.” 

Matthew 16:18

These were Jesus’ parting words to His disciples.  Some have called this the Believer’s Bill of Rights. 

I recently left my son in Montana to stay with his sister for two weeks.  Even though I would see him soon and we had phones, I still wanted to have good, loving, wise parting words.  I didn’t really have any, but I thought about it for a while.  All I came up with was I love you, I will miss you, call when you want and have fun.  Like I said, I didn’t really have any.  But they were important to him and to me. 

I believe that Jesus who knew He was leaving and has all wisdom, probably thought carefully about the parting words He wanted to leave with His disciples and to us.  And among those words were this promise – that if we lay hands on the sick, they will recover.  Oh, I know, some will say that was for then and what about my dad or me or….?  Been there, done that and don’t have the healing to prove it.  I know personally that sometimes laying on hands doesn’t bring the recovery we are expecting.  But that doesn’t change Jesus’ words and it shouldn’t change our response to those words.  I can’t answer the why questions but I have learned not to ask them.

Why is not as important as Who.

What about you?

Is your faith in healing growing dimmer or stronger?

Are you willing to keep believing or just throw in the towel?

Are you asking why or looking at Who?

Jesus didn’t give His word lightly and we should not take it lightly. I have heard believers say that laying hands on the sick is an act of faith, and I agree. But I also think it is an act of obedience. We are not responsible for the outcome, that is in God’s hands, but we are to be obedient to His expressed word.

Jesus, I’ll admit, sometimes it is hard to keep believing when healing doesn’t manifest right away, but I wasn’t told to figure it out. I was told, as a believer, to simply lay hands on the sick. I am trusting my recovery and the recovery of those I lay hands on into Your hands. You are the Healer, then and now, and I am grateful and I thank You that Your word has not lost its power and Your desire to heal hasn’t diminished. Praise Your holy name!