Could He have healed her?
I firmly believed that, YES, He could have. Through my mind raced all the miracles of healing I'd read about in the Bible in the New Testament gospels during Jesus' ministry on earth. He could and He did many, many times over then. His power is exactly the same now. He could have healed Hannah.
Then we get into, then WHY didn't He?!
I didn't really question Him. I knew He would do what was best for each of us.
We know all the "theory" of,
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).
And...
"We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28 ESV).
Or, does He really have healing power? Doesn't He care about you? Why does a God of love allow such heart-wrenching pain to His people? Did you all do something wrong and this is your punishment? Or many other such questionings. When we don't get answers will we still trust Him with our lives?
We will never be able to answer all those questions adequately. Like I said, God's thoughts are not our thoughts.
However, when someone is so sick we don't just roll over and give up saying, oh that's my karma (which I don't believe in anyway) coming to a head and just accept our sicknesses or other physical limitations. Do something about it like going to a doctor and get as much appropriate treatment as possible and pray and ask for God's healing (which He gives free of charge). We will never know God's will or ways in any one given situation. Therefore, do your part and let God do His. Be still and wait.
There are those so-called "faith healers" that Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda in his book, What Buddhists Believe, does not have much use for, and quite rightly so in most cases, I concur. Some are just using their fan-fare of so-called healing for their own financial gain even in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ which just maligns Him and His people.
However, I would not make sweeping judgement and say all are like that. I believe there are those who, because of their sincere faith in God and their close relationship with Him, know His heart better than others do and can commune with Him seeking His will for various people's problems. They spend time in prayer and hearken to the Holy Spirit's guidance; therein is healing power.
Dhammananda alludes to the idea that many of our illnesses spawn in the mind. This is not the first time I've heard of this. Another author is in accord with that. Henry W. Wright in his book A More Excellent Way, Be In Health states this numerous times but does add in that the heart is also involved as a person harbors such things as anger and unforgiveness which can progress and solidify into bitterness and hate, causing one's immune system to become compromised and all manner of conditions could afflict a person: heart conditions; immune diseases such as fibromyalgia or even cancer and so on, will be birthed and perpetuated.
Let me interpolate here that this doesn't mean that just because someone has such diseases that they have festering unforgiveness, etc. It is good to examine oneself in all honesty and see if such exists within us. However, like Jesus said about the blind man in John 9:1-3 (NIV), especially verse 3,
"...this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."
It seems unfair to the blind man that he should have been blind just for the sake of showing God's almighty power and give an object lesson to Jesus' critical skeptics, nonetheless, in the end that blind man worshiped Jesus (John 9:38 NIV) and God's power through Jesus was demonstrated.
Let me get back to the unforgiveness and it's consequences idea. Wright gives several testimonies of people who got healing through being able to go through the painful process of forgiving someone in their lives. Whether it was a father who had sexually abused his daughter or a woman who had had a broken and bitter relationship with her mother or sisters or mother-in-law, when they were able to forgive, that miracle of healing did eventuate.
By their selves, men and women could not overcome in most cases. When the people came to Jesus Christ and were indwelt by His Holy Spirit, they were empowered then by His dynamic power, to conquer the hard core of unforgiveness and take all their emotional and spiritual brokenness to God. They conceded it all to Him with humble and contrite hearts of faith.
I do not purport to know medical stuff but both Dhammananda and Wright hint that actual changes in the body's functions occur and as new wholesome habits are formed and new neurons are connected in the brain, that the body will function more in line with how God designed it in the first place (well Dhammananda didn't say this last bit as Buddhist's do not believe in God but he does say that when our minds are more at peace, then healing will come).
Dhammananda notes that,
"...the constant and regular practice of meditation can help to minimise, if not to completely eradicate, various forms of illnesses" (Page 416).
As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that our minds need the re-creation of and renewing that the transformation of being a new creation in Christ brings. Our minds, which are part of our souls, need salvation through Jesus Christ and His atoning, redeeming work and power.
"If anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17)!
This is not something we can do for ourselves. Jesus suffered in our stead. He does not want us to suffer. His suffering for us made our healing possible. With Christ all things are possible. Trust Him.
We believers in Jesus Christ can also meditate on God's Word day and night (Psalm 1:2) for guidance. This will feed and renew our minds and then our hearts as we obey His Word. In many instances mental, emotional and physical healing ensue.
I believe that you will have great joy. That this joy of the Lord can be your strength (Nehemiah 8:10) and further your healing in areas where the Lord knows your need. Proverbs 17:22 (NIV) says,
"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."
Look at one of God's promises from the book of Job. One of Job's dubious comforters did speak some truth to him during the time of the bombshell of life that hit him. This supposed comforter consoled,
"He (referring to God) will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting" (Job 8:21)...
...with joy, I believe.
I want to leave you with two songs. One is sung by Don Moen who sings Jesus You Are My Healer, and the other singer, Michael W. Smith who sings Healing Rain. Close your eyes, open your ears, minds and hearts to God and to the words that these Christian men sing. May each and every one of you find this healing in Jesus and His almighty power be demonstrated in your life. All glory be to God!
Amen.
~ERC 6 April 2019~
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