This looks very interesting, I’m going to keep reading on the site. I’m down with energy healing; I’ve always felt a lot more happening when I’m laying on hands and anointing rather than just verbal prayer. Do you feel like it’s something everyone can do, with and for one another, or does it require some particular gift?
Healing. It's a loaded word with many definitions for some. For others the scope of healing has a very narrow definition.
What is it healing? Mind, body, spirit. I had a doctor that felt all are connected and without healing of the mind, body and spirit there would never be true healing.
Do we all need to agree on the definition?
Are there healers of just the mind, or just the body, or just the spirit?
In Matthew 25:36, Jesus described looking after the sick. Maybe being a supportive friend is what he wants us to do. Certainly of the spirit tells you to do something to heal, you should do it. But we should start from a base of support.
There were a few times in our journey when I told a pastor or elder about the struggles of caregiving. When I asked for support their response was "no, what you need is for her to be healed". They wanted healing because that would be easier.
I was reminded recently that four of the five first healings in Mark's gospel represent the healing of the three diseases that Leviticus says exclude you from the Temple due to ritual uncleanness ('lepra', a woman with bleeding and death), plus the 'new' disease of being demon possessed. Jesus is very keen that people go present themselves to the priesthood to show that they are not unclean.
I don't think we can get away from the fact that Jesus had a reputation as a healer but Mark (at least) is framing these healings as acts of inclusion. Instead of being tainted by uncleanness, Jesus has the power to overcome it. Along with the power to forgive sins (the other early healing in Mark (2:1-12), Jesus has the power to make people ritually pure.
I think this makes sense of the Matt 25 passage quoted above - we are to go to the places that are 'unclean', which includes the bedside of people ill and dying.
(Of course, if Jesus can already forgive sins and remove ritual impurity, what is the point of the cross? That's a really fun conversation!)
Great points; I think if I’d been active as a priest during the AIDS crisis they would come more readily to mind. Don’t get me started on all the ways JohnB and Jesus took down Temple practices!
The only things I find within my capabilities are my knowledge of nutrition and my time to help people who are suffering or dying. I have studied nutrition in depth for years, including courses, and the evidence is very strong that a mostly plant-based, whole food diet is the best for most people, and prevents and even eliminates a lot of chronic health problems. But efforts I have made through the years to use this knowledge to help others has rarely been effective. No one really listens to anything I have to say on nutrition, so that goes nowhere. I have a dear friend who is dying and I spend a lot of time helping him and encouraging him. That does seem to be very effective. As to miracles, I feel totally unable to do anything like that. So yeah, you are right, it is a big hole in our spiritual lives compared to stories of Jesus' life and the experience of his disciples and apostles after the resurrection.
For me, there’s a difference between healing and curing. The essence of healing is to help towards wholeness. And I don’t know if or what I can be or do if I don’t show up, which means I need to be willing to be present, after which I must attend to determine how I can serve towards the dis-eased one’s hope for a “wholer” life. Having served in hospice chaplaincy for 22 years, I quickly came to understand that I could not effect a cure, but I could make a difference in helping the afflicted feel more whole, healthier (in a sense), a holy child of God not beyond the wholly holy reach of the grace of the enoughness and peace of Christ. Peace be with you…
You might like my post today on God is in this place and I reference Jesus healing. It was already in the hopper to go out so I waited for that to happen before I commented.
Ever attend a charismatic Pentecostal healing service? Some tally up the healings on a tote board…. along with the “salvations”. ie, 17 healings and 12 salvations this month……I’ve even been told of a person who even raises the dead back to life! This person has done it at least 50 times and keeps it all documented. When I was told of this I responded, “Oh my! You would think that would be in the news at some point. I’ve never heard tell of such a thing!”
“Well it’s true!” I was told. And was further informed that he’s actually done it hundreds of times with just the 50 or so being “documented”
No, I’ve never been; not to a healing service anyway. It’s outside my tradition and realm of experience but of course that doesn’t mean it can’t be true.
Please find a unique Understanding of the principles of Healing via this reference:
http://conductivityhealing.com
This looks very interesting, I’m going to keep reading on the site. I’m down with energy healing; I’ve always felt a lot more happening when I’m laying on hands and anointing rather than just verbal prayer. Do you feel like it’s something everyone can do, with and for one another, or does it require some particular gift?
Healing. It's a loaded word with many definitions for some. For others the scope of healing has a very narrow definition.
What is it healing? Mind, body, spirit. I had a doctor that felt all are connected and without healing of the mind, body and spirit there would never be true healing.
Do we all need to agree on the definition?
Are there healers of just the mind, or just the body, or just the spirit?
I have no answers but a lot of questions...
What an interesting idea!
In Matthew 25:36, Jesus described looking after the sick. Maybe being a supportive friend is what he wants us to do. Certainly of the spirit tells you to do something to heal, you should do it. But we should start from a base of support.
There were a few times in our journey when I told a pastor or elder about the struggles of caregiving. When I asked for support their response was "no, what you need is for her to be healed". They wanted healing because that would be easier.
I was reminded recently that four of the five first healings in Mark's gospel represent the healing of the three diseases that Leviticus says exclude you from the Temple due to ritual uncleanness ('lepra', a woman with bleeding and death), plus the 'new' disease of being demon possessed. Jesus is very keen that people go present themselves to the priesthood to show that they are not unclean.
I don't think we can get away from the fact that Jesus had a reputation as a healer but Mark (at least) is framing these healings as acts of inclusion. Instead of being tainted by uncleanness, Jesus has the power to overcome it. Along with the power to forgive sins (the other early healing in Mark (2:1-12), Jesus has the power to make people ritually pure.
I think this makes sense of the Matt 25 passage quoted above - we are to go to the places that are 'unclean', which includes the bedside of people ill and dying.
(Of course, if Jesus can already forgive sins and remove ritual impurity, what is the point of the cross? That's a really fun conversation!)
Great points; I think if I’d been active as a priest during the AIDS crisis they would come more readily to mind. Don’t get me started on all the ways JohnB and Jesus took down Temple practices!
Yeah, weirdly companionship at a deathbed does feel like healing work to me, thanks for that reminder.
The only things I find within my capabilities are my knowledge of nutrition and my time to help people who are suffering or dying. I have studied nutrition in depth for years, including courses, and the evidence is very strong that a mostly plant-based, whole food diet is the best for most people, and prevents and even eliminates a lot of chronic health problems. But efforts I have made through the years to use this knowledge to help others has rarely been effective. No one really listens to anything I have to say on nutrition, so that goes nowhere. I have a dear friend who is dying and I spend a lot of time helping him and encouraging him. That does seem to be very effective. As to miracles, I feel totally unable to do anything like that. So yeah, you are right, it is a big hole in our spiritual lives compared to stories of Jesus' life and the experience of his disciples and apostles after the resurrection.
For me, there’s a difference between healing and curing. The essence of healing is to help towards wholeness. And I don’t know if or what I can be or do if I don’t show up, which means I need to be willing to be present, after which I must attend to determine how I can serve towards the dis-eased one’s hope for a “wholer” life. Having served in hospice chaplaincy for 22 years, I quickly came to understand that I could not effect a cure, but I could make a difference in helping the afflicted feel more whole, healthier (in a sense), a holy child of God not beyond the wholly holy reach of the grace of the enoughness and peace of Christ. Peace be with you…
You might like my post today on God is in this place and I reference Jesus healing. It was already in the hopper to go out so I waited for that to happen before I commented.
Ever attend a charismatic Pentecostal healing service? Some tally up the healings on a tote board…. along with the “salvations”. ie, 17 healings and 12 salvations this month……I’ve even been told of a person who even raises the dead back to life! This person has done it at least 50 times and keeps it all documented. When I was told of this I responded, “Oh my! You would think that would be in the news at some point. I’ve never heard tell of such a thing!”
“Well it’s true!” I was told. And was further informed that he’s actually done it hundreds of times with just the 50 or so being “documented”
Hmmmmmmm.
No, I’ve never been; not to a healing service anyway. It’s outside my tradition and realm of experience but of course that doesn’t mean it can’t be true.
Yeah, it’s outside my tradition, too……and it shall remain so.