Month: October 2022

Devotional

The Names of the LORD – Part Seven of Nine Jehovah Rapha – The LORD Our Healer

kathrynhugheswriter

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” Luke 4:18-19 NKJV

“You have a mass on your kidney.” My doctor’s news shocked me. I always figured that given my family history that cancer would someday be on my horizon, but kidney cancer wasn’t in my family tree. Three long months later, it was removed during the biopsy surgery with clear margins. The cancer was gone.

A year later, in 2019, breast surgery removed another spot. The prognosis: “Not cancerous yet, but likely to become so.” The doctors told me to be tested every six months.

Praise to Jehovah Rapha, The LORD my healer! I have been fine since then. I know that is not the case for everyone with health issues. Why God chose to heal me, I don’t know. When Jesus walked on earth, He healed many physical diseases and raised a few people from the dead, but He didn’t raise or heal everyone. The Apostle Paul pled with God three times for healing, but the LORD told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (See 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.)

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

The Lord’s healing involves much more than just the physical body. He heals the brokenhearted. We can turn to Him, knowing that He does understand. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15 NKJV.

Jesus Christ sets at liberty the captive, which we all have been, for sin oppresses us as it has everyone since the fall of Adam and Eve. The devil would like nothing better than for us to be captive to his evil schemes and the eternal punishment he faces.

Consider the sin of the Israelites. The LORD repeatedly warned them through the prophets that if they did not obey God, that there would be consequences. He warned of the upcoming captivity they would face for their rebellion against Him. Yet the LORD still had compassion on them. The prophet Jeremiah gave God’s message, “‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not remain angry forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the LORD your God…and you have not obeyed My voice,’ says the LORD.” “Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.” Jeremiah 3:12, 13, 22 NKJV.

Oh, may we take that plea from God to heart! Let’s be quick to repent when we sin. When we turn away from sin and confess our sins to God, He is quick to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9)

Sin is not overlooked by God. Jesus died in our place so that we may repent and follow Him, like a sheep following its shepherd. He welcomes us to an intimate friendship with Him.

Dear Jehovah Rapha, Thank you for the gospel of Christ, the good news that heals me from the captivity of sin. You heal my brokenness physically, emotionally, and spiritually. You love me enough to want me as Your friend.  LORD, when you heal me, may I be thankful for the healing. When you say no, or not yet, may I lean on You, for Your power is perfect in weakness. Thank you for being The LORD my Healer. Amen.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

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Thank you for joining me and for reading my devotional blogs. I hope and pray that you will be touched by God in a special way each time you visit. Blogs usually post every other Thursday. Past devotionals are archived for your convenience.

Devotional

Names of the LORD: Part Six of Nine

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Jehovah Jireh – The LORD Will Provide and Jehovah Raah – The LORD Our Shepherd

Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” …Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide (Jehovah Jireh)…Genesis 22:8, 13, 14a NIV

Abraham showed great faith as he obeyed the LORD and took his promised son, Isaac, to sacrifice him as the LORD had commanded. Abraham told the servants to stay with the donkey while he and Isaac went to worship. “We will worship and then we will come back to you.” (Genesis 22:5, emphasis mine). Did he think the LORD would resurrect Isaac as he raised the knife to slay his son? All of the promises that God had made went through Isaac. Abraham believed the LORD would keep His promises.

I’m sure Isaac knew of the promises. Isaac was old enough to carry the wood for the sacrifice, so he certainly could have fought his elderly father. Isaac must have had faith to submit to his father even though they didn’t understand why God would require such a sacrifice.

The angel of the LORD stopped Abraham that day and provided the ram, but it was a picture of what the Heavenly Father would do with His only Son, Jesus.

God Himself provided the Lamb; The LORD Jesus became the sacrifice. There was no last moment substitution for Jesus. He died in our place to pay for our punishment for sin. He was the perfect Lamb for the LORD’s sacrifice, “…the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 NIV.

Jesus-1561637_1920-Image by UCE from Pixabay

Jesus is the Lamb. He also is The LORD Our Shepherd, Jehovah Raah. He said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. … I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as my Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason that my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:11, 14-18 NIV

Who are Jesus Christ’s sheep? They are people who listen to Jesus and follow Him. They have a relationship with Him. “The sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger…because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep…I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” John 10:3-5, 7, 9 NIV(emphasis mine)

Jehovah Raah – The LORD Our Shepherd, lovingly cares for us. He heals, leads, and rescues us. He finds us when we stray. He protects us from the enemy, even laying down His life for us. We follow a living Shepherd! He rose again!

The LORD provided, and He continues to do so. Jehovah Jireh gave His Son for us. Is there anything He will hold back that is for our good?

Let’s get to know the LORD’s voice so well that we will never follow a stranger. Let’s feed from the pastures of God’s Word, and drink from the Living Water that is Jesus. May we follow Jesus closely and never stray.

Jehovah Jireh, thank you for providing for me. Thank you for Your sacrifice, and for being my Shepherd, my Jehovah Raah. Amen.

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Top Photo of white sheep by Moaz Tobok on Pexels.com

Thank you for joining me and for reading my devotional blogs. I hope and pray that you will be touched by God in a special way each time you visit. Blogs usually post every other Thursday. Past devotionals are archived for your convenience.