“Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:1-5 KJV)
As I write this, my childhood friend, Greg Wagnon lies in an intensive care unit and the doctors do not offer much hope for his recovery. They base their pessimistic prognosis on various elements of human data. And from the realistic viewpoint of medical science and human possibility, Greg’s case seems hopeless.
But on the other hand, Greg serves a marvelous, miraculous God! We serve the One who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow! Our God never changes. He is not capricious. And we choose to believe the Lord’s report, because his report is based on God’s strength and power.
The Syrophenician mother knew her daughter’s condition was beyond human hope (Mk. 7:25-30), but she took her case to Jesus because “he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.” The young adulteress knew her case was beyond human help and mercy (Jn. 8:3-11), but she received mercy from Jesus because “he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.” The Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well knew her circumstances were beyond human hope (Jn. 4:6-30), but Jesus changed her life because “the chastisement of our peace was upon him.” The unknown ruler knew his daughter’s case was humanly hopeless (Mt. 9:18-25), but he went to Jesus because “with his stripes we are healed.”
And what more can I say? for space and time would not permit me to tell of the widow from Nain whose son was raised from the dead, and Lazarus, and the lepers who were cured, and the blind who received sight, and the deaf who received hearing, and the paraplegic who was healed, and the man whose friends through faith tore back the roof and placed him in front of Jesus. Yet, all of these and many other victories occurred because somebody believed the report of the Lord.
Would you join your faith with mine and believe the Lord’s report on behalf of my friend Greg Wagnon? “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27 KJV). And I choose to believe the report of the Lord!
Dear Father, thank you for your report of saving, healing, delivering grace and power. Today I claim total victory of healing for Greg Wagnon that it might glorify your holy name. This I pray in the mighty name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today in the report of the Lord,