Daily Radio Bible - February 26th, 22

There’s Healing In His Wings

Today’s reading is from Numbers 21-23 and Mark 6- 7

They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. (Mk 6:56)

The sick and needy were reaching out for the tassels of Jesus’ tallit.  The tallit is a traditional prayer garment, worn by devout Jews, as commanded by Moses in the book of Deuteronomy and Numbers 15.  The tallit was a pancho-like garment that had fringe along the border, with knotted tassels at the four corners.  Devout Jews were to wear it at all times, to help remind them, at all times, to obey God’s commandments. It was also to serve as a reminder to them that they belonged to God, that God had delivered them out of slavery in Egypt, and that they were His people.  It was a constant and daily reminder.

In Hebrew, the word for ‘corner’, (where these fringes are), is kanaph, which can also be translated as wings. This interpretation of certain Messianic passages was used during that time.

But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. (kanaph/corners) (Mal 4:2)

They took this to mean that when the Messiah came they would simply need touch the corners of his tallit and they would be healed.  And that’s exactly what we see people doing when Jesus comes through their town. They are reaching out to touch his tallit, the four corners, the wings, of his prayer shawl.  And when they do, we are told, they all are healed.  So beautiful. This is the second time we have Mark showing people reaching out for the fringe of Jesus’ garments. These were every-day, hurting, desperate people who were looking to Jesus as the long-expected Messiah, and receiving the healing in his wings.  They were coming to him in faith.

There is healing in his wings, for us too, today, when we reach out.  But that healing doesn’t always come when we want it to come. If you’ve walked with the Lord for any length of time you soon realize this.  Even if we’ve received healing in a miraculous way, it doesn’t always come when we want it to come. Sometimes God has something else in mind for us.  Sometimes he lets these “light and momentary afflictions” (II Cor 4:17), as Paul calls them, work out something of eternal importance in our life.  He is shaping us through the suffering and the waiting.  We should not let this momentary suffering and waiting dissuade us from the truth that there is healing in His wings.  There is healing to be found with him, at all times.  When we reach out to Jesus in faith we will always find healing for our souls. That healing is ongoing, just as the healing of our bodies is ongoing. There will come a time, at the resurrection, when our bodies will be healed completely.  We will forever be living in the shadow of his wings.  There will be no cancer, sickness or Alzheimers. It all will be gone.  But right here and now, ours is to do what these people did.  We are to reach out in faith, and touch him.

Lay hold of the promise that the tallit represents.  Lay hold of the healing that is offered to your soul, right here and now.  There’s a whole lot more healing that needs to go on.  Some of it can happen right now, and some of it will have to wait.  But all of it is going to happen.  We can count on that.    Reach out and trust him now for your healing, deliverance and provision.  He is working out something of eternal importance in your life.

You are loved!