Healing

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Medicine To Die For, Part V

More Than Just A Body

Inspired by the story in Mark 2:1-12; with Genesis 2:7, Psalm 29:5, Psalm 139:14, Isaiah 64:6, Matthew 10:29-31, Matthew 18:12 & 13, Mark 10:31, John 14:6, Romans 10:13;
I Corinthians 13:9 & 10, and Ephesians 2:8 & 9 (KJV)

Fearfully and wonderfully made. That’s what the Bible says about us humans. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. In the image of God.

Each with unique characteristics, both inside and out.

He created our bodies, then breathed into them the breath of life.

A divine mystery! Who can understand it?

For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

All we know is that God designed each of us with a specific purpose as part of His divine plan.

More importantly, the Bible tells us that God loves us. Loves the whole person.

Body, soul, and spirit.

How the three fit together is a mystery. But we do know that what affects one part of the person affects the whole.

So what does that have to do with our hero?

It has everything to do with being fearfully and wonderfully made.


The line had been drawn. The plan had been set. The body had been moved.

“The body.” Thanks a lot!

“The body” has a name, you know.

“Mr. Shipwreck!”

“You talk-in’ to me?”

A little attitude in the voice. Considering what they were about to do, why wouldn’t there be?

If only he could have a nice, quiet conversion, in a little out-of-the-way country church! Slip right in, slip right out, nobody would know he’d even been there. He could keep it private, between himself and God.

But no. Everybody had to make a big deal about it.

“I’d brace myself if I were you, because this is going to get really noisy,” said Mohammed.

“All right.”

What on earth had Mr. Shipwreck gotten himself into?

“I apologize ahead of time,” added Max, “if it gets too loud. Tearing down demonic strongholds is messy work, you see. And boy, have you built up a lot of them over the years! We’ll be as gentle with you as we can, but let’s face it. Removing these barriers - well, let’s just say we’ve got to take the kingdom by force. Hope you understand.”

Mohammed was standing next to Max, impatiently tapping his foot. “Stop talking,” he said, “and get to work. If he didn’t want our help, he wouldn’t have asked for it. He can thank us later.”

“All right,” assented Max. He tossed a hammer to Mohammed and got to work.

Whack! Bang!

The four friends peeled off one objection after another, slicing into them with God’s Word, prying them off with questions designed to dig at the root of every mindset separating Mr. Shipwreck from the knowledge of God.

“But I was always taught that truth was whatever you imagined it to be.”

“That’s not true. Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.’”

Out came a rusty, crusty, deeply imbedded nail.

“God helps us when we help ourselves.”

“That’s not in the Bible.”

“It’s not?”

“We are all as an unclean thing,” “By grace are ye saved through faith,” “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

The hammer of God’s Word broke the cedar planks.

Tile after tile, board after board, all the rotten wood came off. Much of it had been eaten by termites (all those little things that bugged him).

It was a painful process for Mr. Shipwreck because some of the nails (his own attempts to nail God down) were in there deep. Ouch! It hurt getting them out. Also discovered were a few loose screws, a bird’s nest, and a bottle of turpentine. Certainly he couldn’t let anybody see those things.

If he did, what would they think?

“Perhaps they’ll find your honesty refreshing.”

Rrrrip!

The sword of God sliced right into a major two-by-four.

Esperanza was having great fun with the saw. A little too much fun.

“Oops!”

Clunk!

“Yikes!”

A decayed piece of lumber fell on one of the lawyers in the front row.

(He was sitting on the best seat in the house, specially designated for one who loved to be first.)

“Hey, what the . .?”

Great. Now they’d gone and done it!

They were all in big trouble. Because of him.

“You guys are going to an awful lot of work for a slime ball like me,” groaned Mr. Shipwreck. “Why don’t you pack up and get out of here before the homeowner sees what you’ve done? I’m not worth the trouble.”

“No way!” yelled Max. “If Jesus would leave the ninety nine to save the one, how can we do any less for one who is more valuable than many sparrows?”

So they continued to labor, over Mr. Shipwreck’s objections.

Finally the hole in his roof was big enough for them to lower him down.

In order to attach the ropes for letting down the mat, the four friends had to make holes in each corner. One for the feet; one for each hand; and one for the sign above the carpenter’s head: “Jesus, king of the Jews.”

They attached the ropes and prepared to lower him down.

Suddenly he heard something. It sounded like a knock.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“That’s Jesus. He’s knocking on the door of your heart.”

“Will you let him in?”

That was the question: Now that it came right down to it, would he?

Or was the Carpenter knocking on wood?

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