Psalm 30:1-3
I will exalt you, Lord, for you rescued me.
You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you restored my health.
You brought me up from the grave, O Lord.
You kept me from falling into the pit of death.
Christians have an odd relationship with health and healing. On one hand, we believe in God’s power to heal diseases, as evidenced by the many stories of Jesus touching and healing those in need. We pray for God to work miraculously when our bodies are failing, and while we know that type of healing is not always God’s will for us, we ask for it in faith. On the other hand, we also believe that when our bodies ultimately fail and we succumb to death, what awaits us in eternity will be far better than even the best of this life. And so, we long for heaven with faithful anticipation and even great excitement. Perhaps we can reconcile these seemingly divergent attitudes by declaring that, through faith in Jesus, we can’t lose! To receive physical healing by the hand of God would be a tremendous blessing and an opportunity to glorify the name of Jesus. It is equally true that Jesus has promised us a place in heaven where all this world’s troubles will be left behind.
We don’t know what crisis, illness or threat David had in mind as he wrote these lines, but they drip with an unwavering faith in God’s protection and healing power. David trusted that no matter what he might face, his Lord was ready to lift him up and keep him safe. We also need to acknowledge, with David, that this life is full of trouble. Illness plagues each of us from time to time. We face disappointments and failures. We may even, like David, have to deal with “enemies,” whether they be people who oppose us or spiritual challenges that attempt to trip us up. Loving God and following Jesus don’t immunize us from harm and hardship, but when we suffer, we can, like David, cry out to God for help.
May the Holy Spirit drive David’s words of assurance deep into your heart. When you pray for healing or need encouragement, may you remember the God who refuses to let your enemies triumph over you. When the worries of life or the fear of death threaten to overwhelm you, may you know for certain that God keeps you from falling into the pit and has given you the promise of resurrection through Jesus Christ. And through it all, may you exalt the name of the Lord for all the ways He blesses, heals, protects, comforts and forgives.
O Lord my God, You watch over me with loving strength and powerful compassion. Thank You for hearing my cries for help and for promising never to leave me alone. Lift me up when I fall, and give me courage to share Your love with those in need. I ask this through Jesus my Savior. Amen.
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Pastor Mike Mirakian
