Healing or Wholeness?...

What would you prefer? Healing or wholeness?
I like that question.
I have to tell you it's wholeness for me and better still it's wholeness for God as well.
His heart for you, for us, is wholeness.

Now, I don't think any of us would disagree that in some area and to some degree we all need healing. It's true. Wow! I could go on and list all the stuff that invades our lives and tries to steal, kill and destroy but let's not sit there, lets move on.
Recently, I received a Facebook post that included a picture of a painting by some dude I can't remember. It's a beautiful painting, so rich in its expression, even if it is perhaps a little dubious in its accuracy. However I'll share it with you...

Now, as you look at this picture, what do you see? Is your attention drawn to the bloke with his finger stuck into the other bloke's side, or maybe you are drawn to the attentive onlookers, or perhaps you are drawn to the man with the gash in his abdomen? The fellow with his finger in the wound is Thomas, often called doubting Thomas, and the other two are other disciples of Jesus. The One with the wound is Jesus, of whom the Bible clearly says, "...He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed." [Isaiah 53: 5]
So, rather than focus on the areas that need healing, or on our strategy to not be doubters, or even on our often and regular 'doubt' let's focus on Jesus, our everything, our answer for all our need.
Now as I was thinking about all this, and about this picture, my attention was drawn to a story, a true story, about ten lepers.
Leprosy. A dreadful disease and surely a most graphic picture of the ministry of the evil, the complete disfigurement of God's greatest creation. A picture of our need for healing and wholeness. Can you see it?
I have seen people suffering from leprosy and they have parts of their bodies missing. I remember one man whose face was literally falling to pieces, he had no nose or ears! Dreadful picture of need.
Now, most reading this will know the story of the ten lepers but in case not I will give a brief re-cap. The story is found in Luke 17. Jesus was travelling toward Jerusalem and He entered a village and ten leprous men called out to Him, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priest and as they went they were cleansed...they were healed. Hallelujah! Now, a strange thing happened, one turned back and glorified God with a loud voice, falling on his face and giving thanks to Jesus.
What happened to other nine? Not sure! Even Jesus asked the same question. I suppose they went to the priest and the priest gave them something to do, some work maybe, perhaps some strategy to get closer to God, perhaps a strategy for Christ-likeness. No probably not that, that's what would happen in church-land, but I digress.

The one man returned to Jesus and he glorified God, he fell on his face, he gave thanks to Jesus and he received at the feet of Jesus. He received in a place of prostate rest, a place of thankfulness, at the feet of Jesus, the very same place Mary rested and received, the place described by Jesus as the 'good part.'
Now, I want us to see an amazing thing.
This one healed man received more as he thanked Jesus and praised and glorified God. He received wholeness!
Jesus said to Him, "Rise, and go your way; your faith has made you well."
Another translation describes it this way, "Arise, go thy way: Thy faith hath made thee whole."
He was made WHOLE!
Now I believe the nine were healed, no problem, but the one was made whole. The nine no longer had leprosy but the one got his nose back! And his ears!
Whether or not I am right is not the point. We could debate that forever! I'm not a scholar just a listener to God.
The point is the one returned to give thanks and he received the greater blessing. He went away WHOLE, whatever that means!
The nine I am sure rejoiced in the healing, they saw the blessing and rejoiced in the blessing but the one saw the person and rejoiced in Him and returned to thank Him.
The one looked at the picture above and saw the One with the marks of Calvary in His side and could see nothing but Him. Oh, yes, there is a lot to learn from Thomas, who doubted, but so much more to be found in Jesus who is everything.

Let's return and give thanks, glorify God and prostrate ourselves at His feet for it is there we receive the greater blessing. You know, yesterday, I had a conversation with my beloved brother in Christ and he talked about being happy, wherever we are, whatever we are doing. From where does this happiness come? From being with Jesus, from receiving truth that He is with us and in us and for us and not against us and in the knowledge that, yes, in this world we will have trouble, tribulation, but FEAR NOT, I, JESUS, have overcome the world and with me you are overcomers. With me you are miracles and breakthrough and blessing.
So which do you prefer? Healing or wholeness?
Wholeness for me!
Have a wonderful day.