I recently came across a great word from Pastor Steve Ely of Passion Ministries, concerning how that which is hidden cannot be healed. Most of these insights are his, but I wanted to share how it opened my own eyes to some precious truths as well.

In Mark 3 Jesus heals a man with a withered hand. After telling the man to stand up and come forward in front of everyone present, Jesus tells him to stretch out his hand. He did not specify which hand to stretch forth, and it may seem foolish even to raise the point… but perhaps not.

If he were like most of us, he may have been tempted to put forth his good hand; the healthy, functional hand. Besides, Jesus told him not only to stand before the crowd but then to make his infirmity public. Just imagine if he had resisted or perhaps suggested that such was a private matter and that he did not understand how further public embarrassment was necessary to facilitate his healing. Or, what if he pointed out how he wasn't the only one present with issues?

Remember when Jesus told Mary and Martha that He needed to see their dead brother Lazarus? They seemed reluctant to make Lazarus available because of the stench they had labored for days to perfume and conceal. Still, Jesus is offering to bring life to the wretched death and decay buried deep in the tomb - the same decay at which they could no longer bear to look.

Jesus wants to do the same for us. But first, we must remove the layer upon layers of wrappings and distractions we have used to hide the extent of the putrid rot. Since we often feel that we must conceal our brokenness, many of us have likely missed the healing that God can bring. We might even decide that it is time to find another synagogue where our withering is not so well known.

However, why not raise our "weaknesses" and glorify God. Raise our feebleness and failures to him and like the apostle Paul declare, that God's "... power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me (II Cor 12:9 NIV).

Pastor Mike