“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4, 5
It is difficult to think about passionate human intimacy without this passage coming to mind. At first glance it can appear that it is physical healing that we need, but on closer examination and experience we quickly discover that it is healing of a much deeper nature that is needed.
Where this matter of healing is concerned we are much more inclined to think in terms of hospitals, doctors and nurses, but Jesus didn’t come that we might have any of those things more abundantly. He came that we might have “life, and life more abundantly.” In the first instance, it is “life” that we need to get, not a doctor or a nurse or a clinic.
That said, and on deeper reflection we can appreciate that the flesh and blood intimacy attendant to the practice of medicine, In Christ changes venues to the practice of life and relationship. The physical intimacy that sickness brings to the fore is a picture of the spiritual intimacy that “iniquity” brings to the fore. We are on Jesus triage team. All the arrangements are made in and by the Spirit, but this only means that the intimacy required for healing is even deeper. Like medics, we practice relational intimacy in the battlefield, Colossians 1:24.
Our passage from Isaiah strongly suggest that there is a lot of room for misunderstanding where the love of God is concerned – “we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted…”
But even in his time, Isaiah understood that “… he was pierced for our transgression… crushed for our iniquities… punished for our peace… and wounded for our healing.”
Love!
For more on this subject, see “Is There No Balm in Gilead”
Also, for previous intimacy level post, “Redeeming The Time”
Loving Like God 
Can of worms! Can of worms! What bodily healing and atonement! Huh! What about Mary Baker Eddy and EW Kenyon. You are tipping sacred cows here Jay. Are you trying to say that the cross doesn’t “entitle” us to physical healing and divine health, wealth and prosperity??!! heretic!:)… and…What about the abundant life and the cattle on a thousand hills and all the abundance of stuff that we have a right to because he suffered in our stead.! What about that Jay! Huh… Forget this relational stuff just give me the stuff!
NICE George! You left out individual saints sitting on clouds in the resurrection. :-/ Aren’t you glad that God is not interested in our stuff, but only our relationships, beginning with Him! :-)
Love!
I’m glad I know you better George [wink ;-) ] Anyway, intriguing ‘next level’ this is. I come from a church background of ‘name it and claim it’ in regards to healing, but after reading this post, it is more apparent to me that was lacking then, and still is, is an intimate association (other than doctrinally) to the Passion of Christ *with one another*.
It would be true in a first creation sense, that the more deeply we share in another person, including their genes, their environment, their temptations in life, their experiences, their vulnerabilities inside and out, the more apt we would be to carry the same sicknesses. All the walls of division would have to come down. This to me is a picture of what it took for Jesus to make us a new creation. He didn’t come to give us pat answers or pat methods for healing, but He came to give *Himself*. To be intimately acquainted with all our ways. This is indeed a higher level we have yet to attain to with one another.
Thank you Jay for this wonderful post.
Thank You for your confirmation and your very gentle handling of my friend George!
Love!
Ever since hearing about Jesus as a small child, the one question I’ve always had was how do we Love as He Loved us? It remains the single most important question I have of the Lord, and Jay, I hear Him talking to us in these last posts – what it takes to do that. Listen.. to those who have ears. Bless you for speaking out.
Jay,
Couple this passage in Isaiah you quote about Christ and our healing and take it into the spiritual realm as did the writer of Hebrews.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such hostility of sinners against himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds. You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children, My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges [His healing stripes] every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not?”
(Heb 12:2-7 KJ2000)
God seems to be more interested with our spiritual healing than He is in our temproal comforts, wouldn’t you say?
Thank You for Your very confirming addition to this post!
Love!
Sometimes it’s a cross. Sometimes it is a chariot of fire. Sometimes it is physical healing and for me, most times emotional healing. I have been hurt much more emotionally in life so there is a greater need for the emotional. I’m so so very thankful he is not limited. this Summer he healed me physically of something and then folllowed it up with loads of emotional healing. I was blown away by his care!
I’m so very thankful HE desireds to give life and life abundantly. Shalom to you all. Especially you Jay.
YES, Jay!! Forever Blessings…
Marge Porterfield
‘…And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’
Thank you Lord, that we can go nowhere where you are not – and that you have committed yourself to us 100% – there are just no words to describe your love.
Hugs for you Jay, and thanks for all that Father has built into you.
xxx Frances