New Testament Journey Day 32: Matthew 8:14-17. Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother in Law and Many Others”

When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house, Peter’s Mother-In-Law was sick in bed with a high fever. But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. The she got up and prepared a meal for him. That evening may demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.”

When Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law she gives us an example.. she gets up and waits on Jesus and gives back to him for what he’s done for her. How many times do people become sick, or have a family member become sick and spend time in prayer asking and begging God to move and provide healing. And then, God moves. And there is rejoicing and tears. But how long is it until life goes back to normal and Jesus is a second thought. Friends He’s a way maker and miracle worker but he’s not a Jeannie in a bottle that we put on a shelf for those times of emergency. He wants to be a friend that you walk with and talk with every day. He wants you to help be his hands and feet in a world full of darkness.

In this scripture Matthew continues to show Jesus’ kingly nature. Through a simple touch, Jesus healed; when he spoke a single word evil spirits fled his presence. He has authority to conquer all evil powers and all disease and most of all, the authority over sin. In the future, when God removes sin from the world, there will be no more sickness and no more death. Jesus healing miracles were just a taste of what the whole world will one day experience in God’s Kingdom.

My grandmother died of ovarian cancer in her early 50’s. In my 30’s I had a tumor on my ovary that continued to grow, and continued to be of concern. They had scheduled surgery to remove it along with one more CT scan prior to the surgery. People were praying for me at the church, my mother was sending them up daily… I went in and had that final scan just a few short days before surgery. I still recall the look on my Dr’s. face when he came into the room and said “There’s only one way to explain this… either God has answered your prayers or those of the young lady with aggressive cancer who needed surgery soon, or both. I’m sure he saw the perplexed look on my face as he went on to say …. your tumor is completely gone and she will now receive your surgery date/time that she needed.” That’s just one of the many times God has had his hand on my life. Just one of the many reasons I have to serve him. But the biggest miracle of all is that he could take my sins… ALL my sins… the ones I can’t stand to think of… and he FORGAVE Me! He washed me white as snow and looks on me as if I’d never sinned. And he’s guaranteed me a mansion on a hilltop where I will one day reside – with my mother once again – as well as all those who love Jesus and are going with me.