Healing every disease and every affliction…

And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. ~ Matthew 9:35 (ESV)

In the passage above, what do you think Christ’s “healing” involved?

About the book Jesus, Man of Joy, Bruce Marchiano says “Jesus was a man of joy. This is the most liberating secret in all of Christianity. Through the pages of this book the Lord revealed to me for the first time His reality and absolute loveliness. Rejoice and be glad!”

Could Jesus’ joyful example of living life provide “healing” through soothing of the soul without a complete physical healing?

As those trying to FULLY follow Christ’s example, we can hope to soothe the soul even if we can’t provide complete physical healing! Healing balms are available for us today in various forms – words of scripture; inspirational books like Jesus, Man of Joy; preaching; music; loving examples and many, many more.

Inspiring us are examples of people world-wide in the past and today such as this account describes:

“he exulted in the free grace of God. His joy was contagious. Men leaped out of darkness into light, and lived a Christian life afterwards.” ~ Jesus, Man of Joy, p. 19 (English pastor describing Dwight L. Moody)

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REFLECTION AND ACTION: Who in your experience has provided moments that spurred you into the light? Are there elements of those efforts that you can share with others in your journey this week?

PRAYER: Dear God, this we do pray, that on this day, carpe diem we say, while healing and ‘ripening lives’ along the way…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit…