Good morning, one and all,

I’m going to go out on a limb here and interpret a verse differently than most people seem to.  A good friend of mine, and many others, use the following verse in their prayers for physical healing:

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” [Isaiah 53:5]

This verse is from that great prophecy of Isaiah in chapter 52:13 through chapter 53, which foreshadowed the future Messiah, Jesus. If you haven’t read those 15 verses, they are a real eye-opener. Especially when you realize they were written 700 years before Jesus walked the earth.

The issue I have with the words ‘we are healed’ makes it sound like every person who prays using this verse is healed, and that’s not the case, is it? We have all fervently prayed for the healing of family and friends, and maybe even ourselves.  Sometimes those prayers are answered one way, and sometimes another.  And on others we still await the answer.

But the ultimate answer from God always hinges on one fact, God’s will: 

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” [I John 5:14]

All of us, through no fault of our own, are born into a sick world. Some have called it a sin-sick world, a world in need of healing.  The healing that is accomplished in the opening verse is not a physical healing, but a spiritual healing, one that can only be provided for by the ‘wounds’ (blood) of Jesus:

“Since we have now been justified (healed) by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” [Romans 5:9]

“In him we have redemption (healing) through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace…” [Ephesians 1:7]

“God presented him (Jesus) as a sacrifice for atonement (healing), through faith in his blood….” [Romans 3:25a,b]

Thank you, Father God, for providing to us a way to finally, eternally, be healed.

Blessings,

–Keith