When we are healthy, many of us simply take our health for granted. We don't even bother to exercise, neither do we consider the food we eat, we don't listen to healthy advices. And perhaps, we do not even consider that there is a God who cares.
However, when we start to get sick and be suffering, that is the only time that we start to be conscious of our health. When we are already sick and suffering, that is the only time when we start to follow healthy advices, and we try to be healthy again. When we are doomed in sickness, that is the only time that we remember God and we start to come to Him and pray.
I have seen men who have been smoking cigarettes from their teens until adulthood. They loved and enjoyed smoking despite hearing warnings about the dangers of cigarette smoking. Later in life, they suffer from other respiratory ailments. They have smoker's cough. Some develop emphysema. Others have the dreaded lung cancer. Now that they are suffering, they are now trying to quit smoking - but have a hard time getting rid of the deadly habit. People always say that regret doesn't come first, but last.
There are millions of people now who have different physical and mental ailments. Majority of these people would certainly do anything, I mean - anything, just to be able to get back their health. Fortunate for those who have the money, they can probably afford to go to a doctor and pay for expensive medical diagnostic requirements and treatments. How about those who are poor and financially broke?
With or without money, in general, people will try to do anything to get back their health. They would even shop for different doctors, hoping that one doctor can find a cure for their suffering. Yet others would attempt to try herbal medications when others would make such claims.
I believe it was from a Vacation Bible School where I have heard the story of Naaman. Naaman was a Biblical character who was a captain of a certain army that defeated Israel during the ancient days. Although he was a high ranking military officer, he got contaminated by a disease called leprosy. During that time, there was no cure for leprosy.
Naaman had an Israelite girl servant who was serving him well. This girl recommended that Naaman see an Israelite prophet who probably could recommend a cure. This is a case scenario where people would like to do anything just so they get cured. Thus Naaman went to see the prophet. As Naaman went to the said prophet, he was adviced to dip himself seven times in one of the dirty rivers nearby. If you were Naaman today, you would certainly get mad that you are told to go to a dirty river. You'd probably say, that prophet is stupid.
But just to try, Naaman followed the advice. Fortunately, Naaman got cured from leprosy. That cure was because of the power of God - God who simply instructed the prophet what to advice Naaman.
Unfortunately, there are many other people who would simply give up and surrender when they can not find a cure for themselves. These are the kind of people who would think that everything is simply hopeless.
Let us consider another true to life scenario. A woman had been sick for years with a dreaded disease. She had gone to different doctors, but simply found no cure. She tried all sorts of medications and rituals, nothing helped her condition. As her chronic condition made her life miserable and weak day by day, she still had hope in her heart that one day that cure will come.
Finally, she heard that Jesus was passing by near her place. Yes, the crowd was approaching and certainly she saw Jesus. Since there were a lot of people, she just could not get the attention of Jesus. But she finally struggled and gave her best to come close to Jesus. She probably said to herself, "If only I can touch even the garment of Jesus, I know I will be healed." Thus she tried her best with all her strenght to come close to Jesus and simply touch his garment.
The stories here may seem like a children's Bible story, but the lessons are applicable to people of different ages - including adults. All of a sudden, Jesus noticed something and got surprised. This woman got surprised too because she finally became healed! Healed from her dreaded disease - by her faith and hope that there is cure in Jesus. Yes, there is always hope in Jesus.
Although many of us may become hopeless today, always remember, there is always hope in Jesus. All you need is to have faith, even faith as small as a mustard seed.
Copyright by VMT Singuillo
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