Healing and the Prodigal Son

Luke 15:11-32 contains the story of the prodigal son.  We can learn many things about the nature of God from this story, some of which relate to healing.

We can see that the father (who represents God) had compassion on the backslidden son when he came to himself and repented.  Sometimes a person is sick because he has consciously turned away from God, and once he repents, God heals him.  When such a person receives a dramatic healing, religious people can get very upset because they figure that if anyone deserved such a miracle, they did.  Like the elder son, they miss the key point that the father made: “All that I have is thine.”  Healing belonged to them all along!  Healing for every condition was theirs for the taking.  Remember that in the parable, verse 12 states that the father divided his estate between both of the two sons.   BOTH got the inheritance, though one squandered it.  The elder son still had money because he hadn’t squandered it, but it was still his.  Healing is yours and has been for your whole life, whether you’ve recognized that or not.

There is no point leaving a healing crusade mad because the people you think of as spiritual “low life” get miracles while you don’t.  The same power is available to you!  Sometimes a repenting backslider or sinner is more conscious of his need for God (and humbler) than you are, so he finds it easier to receive a gift from God.  Thank God for good works, but your good works won’t heal you.  Healing is a gift that Jesus Christ purchased for you.  Don’t ever forget that!  You didn’t merit it.  He bought it for you before you did anything that pleased God.

Don’t be like the self-righteous elder son who was too mad to go enjoy the food and the music!  He was only hurting himself with his attitude.  All that God has is yours.  The Scriptures tell us that you have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3) and that God has already given you all things pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3-4).  Healing is yours.  Get it for yourself, and don’t get mad when someone else gets it.  Rejoice with the person, because that’s what God is doing!