“Follow The Healer!”

“Follow The Healer!”(Mt.12:15-21).
“Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. He warned them not to tell others about him. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.’”
In the synagogue of one of the towns of Galilee Jesus healed a man with a shriveled hand on the Sabbath. “But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill” him.
Here is the takeoff of today’s text. We can understand why he withdrew from that place. We can understand why when he healed all who were ill, he warned them not to tell others about him.
Jesus did not want to precipitate his premature death. It was not yet God’s Kairos (time).
Sometimes we foolishly expose our lives to danger claiming it is for the sake of the gospel. It is often necessary to steer away from the maddening crowd! A tree grows in silence till it comes of age. “Cheap popularity” stays true to its name – cheap!
Followers of Christ shouldstrive to be like him, proclaiming justice to the nations not quarreling or crying out and muting their voices in the streets.
In our generation we should be wondering whether the many crusades wars were necessary! Unless it is as some people have speculated that the real reason behind the crusades was a search for the hidden treasure of the Jerusalem temple! We wonder whether Inquisition through which thousands died, the killing of hundreds of thousands of Protestant Huguenots during the French wars of religion in defense of the faith was acceptable in the sight of God!
Christ heals the nations by bringing justice through to victory so that “in his name the nations will put their hope.” Christ does not do this by might or power, but by the Spirit of the LORD.
The One who will not break a bruised reed does not applaud us when we emotionally destroy people in his name, or when we take up arms in his name.
Christ comes to heal broken relationships, wounded hearts, hurting souls, physical illnesses and spiritual rottenness! He does so in silence and not for the cameras.
My friend, be among the large crowd following Jesus, come with your illness and he will heal you.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, remind me daily to proclaim justice without breaking even an already bruised reed. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.
26/08/2026.