If so , then why does God not heal all sickness now?
Why does God let so many youngsters die?
Why do so many wonderful people suffer?
Yes: God certainly does heal today!
Any Christ–centred ministry that consistently proclaims the good news of the kingdom of God will see it happen over and over again, to a tremendous variety of people with many different problems.
But why not everyone? Would it not be a wonderful thing if there were no pain and no suffering in the world? It really does seem so unfair that children and many beautiful people should still go on suffering!
There are two distinct issues here and they should be kept apart to avoid confusion and doubt
First of all, the use of the word ‘unfair’, the very thought that being singled out and struck down is unfair, is itself quite telling.
At least we can clearly rule out God as being the source of sickness and injury because his unconditional and forgiving love is all–inclusive and, therefore, he cannot be unfair. He can only be the same Almighty God with love toward every one of us.
We were all created in his image, and in him there is no sickness.
There is absolutely no sickness in the Garden of Eden. That was God’s blueprint: mankind would walk in obedience and enjoy perfect health. The plan remains in force.
This does not sit easily with our modern ideas about individuals and their rights, of course. But the effects of humankind’s sinfulness operate like ripples spreading out from a single point.
What we do affects others.
The disobedience of Adam and Eve affects us like a disease from which every member of the human race suffers in different ways.
The feeling that something unfair is going on presupposes that God ignores the plight of some of his people. This idea of an uncaring and remote Deity breeds doubt (and reduces faith–expectancy) very quickly. But how do we know what God is really like?
We simply need to read about Jesus, for he is the true revelation of the Father.
Jesus did not account for any lack of healing (e.g. that familiar problem in his home town) by referring to a putative remote and uncaring God.
No, the picture of the Father that he conveyed to us was always of a loving Father, full of love and concern for each and every one of his children.
That is the image of God we must grasp, for it is the truth that Jesus constantly taught and demonstrated.
The fact that some people are not healed today has much to do with the sort of theology that begins from a sceptical position and breeds doubt and unbelief; and it is connected with a lack of real expectancy amongst the people of God.
All too often, when we pray with people, we do not seek healing from Jesus with a child–like expectancy, persistence and humility.
The fact is that God has entrusted the work of extending his kingdom in partnership with him to the church and provides the power to do the work —the power that comes from him alone, from God the Holy Spirit.
As we become open to the Holy Spirit, receive more from him, and minister in his power, we see more of people’s difficulties mended.
So part of the answer to the problem is to understand and move in that ‘delegated’ authority which is ours, as part of the commission Jesus has given to his disciples in every age.
We should be asking not so much why God does not sovereignly intervene as why his church does not get on with doing more of what it has been told by him to do.
In the meantime, let us humbly consider the possibility of our own dereliction of duty. Could one reason for there being so much ill health and trouble around us be that we have not followed our Lord’s great Commission in Matthew 28:18–20?