Tom was a man a faith. He believed in the One who came to save the world. One day Tom’s healthcare team delivered the words no one wants to hear. The technician running the CT scan even knew it didn’t look good. They had found a spot behind his esophagus. They ran a second CT scan which showed the spot ran all the way up into the lymph nodes of the neck. Then they ran a PET scan over his entire body which glowed like a Christmas tree. It was bad. It was really bad. Tom was facing cancer.
What happened next was the anthem of Tom’s life. Tom did what Tom does best. He prayed. Along with his faithful wife, Tom prayed to the God who made him. He prayed to the same God who spoke the world into existence.
Tom had read all the stories in the Bible. He knew the scriptures. This is different though. This isn’t a historical story where Jesus raised Lazarus up from the dead. This was Tom’s life on the line. This was not 2000 years ago. This was now. Plus, the Savior that walked on water wasn’t standing in front of him.
The Bible is full of stories where Jesus came through and saved the day. While He was on his way to raise a princess from the dead, a very sick woman reached out in faith and grabbed his garment. “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well. And instantly the woman was made well.” (Matthew 9:18-22) Not long after that while Jesus was walking, two blind men started following him. Oh, and they weren’t just following quietly. These two grown men were crying out loudly to Jesus! “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” When Jesus saw them face to face, he didn’t just heal them. He asked them a question. “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” Without hesitation they said, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you. And their eyes were open.” (Matthew 9:27-30)
Time after time, Jesus was the man of the hour. He was not always well known when he first walked into a new town, but by the time he left he was a super-star in the eyes of the hurting, the lost, the sick, and the injured. That’s why the sick came from far and near. They longed to be close to the one who heals the sick and raises the dead.
So why would he do this over and over again? Was he just a flamboyant show-off? Was he healing with one hand and asking for some shiny coins in the other? Nope, that’s not Jesus’ M.O. Just the opposite. Jesus was not flashy. Starting with his birth he came from simple beginnings. He wasn’t born in a palace. He wasn’t even born in the local motel. His mother delivered him out in a stable with only a feeding trough to lay him in. He lived out his ministry the same way. He traveled without worry where his next meal would come from or where he would lay his head. He had no money, no extra clothes, and no backup plan for food on the road.
So, what did he want? If he wanted, he could have snapped his fingers, and instantly everyone across the entire world would have been made well. That wasn’t his plan, though. He wanted to be seen and the people needed to see him. How else would they know that Emmanuel (God with us) was literally right there with them? They needed to hear the good news. They longed to have their wounds healed but He had bigger plans. He wasn’t there just to save them from their bodily pain and earthly trials. He was there to be the Redeemer. He was there to trade places with them. He was there to let them know that He was the one and only true sacrifice that would mend the relationship between mankind and the Maker. They wanted healing. He wanted repentance and restoration.
The clothes we wear, our transportation, and our technology may have changed since the events in the Bible took place, but our God is the same today as He was back then. He still listens to our requests and still orchestrates our lives according to His plan. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God.”
Healing can and does happen just as it did the day Jesus walked the earth. You need to do more than just shout requests into the sky, though. Just like the two blind men who cried out to Jesus, you need to believe. (John 3:16) With belief and faith in Jesus, healing will happen. It may not always happen as fast as you want or even the way you want, but it will happen. That’s what happened to Tom. While in the oncology wing of the hospital, they removed one of Tom’s neck lymph nodes. The oncologist wanted to identify his specific type of cancer. They were stunned with what they found. The lymph node was completely free of cancer. They performed another CT scan. It was 100% clear. Tom was completely cancer free. They called it a miracle. Tom called it an answer to prayers.
-by Brandon Crouch, D.C.
About the Author: Dr. Brandon Crouch is a Chiropractor with Crouch Family Chiropractic (www.crouchfamilychiro.com). If you have questions or comments, Dr. Crouch can be reached at 270-842-1955 or via email at: office@crouchfamilychiro.hush.com.
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