Brooke Wagner (not her real name), a 12-year-old girl at the time, had scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and had come forward at the end of our church service for prayer. I simply held her legs, prayed in the mighty Name of Jesus, and 20 some people witnessed a miraculous healing!
A similar incident (also detailed in a previous devotion — but feel impressed to share it again for this July 12 reflection!) took place when I was teaching at a Christian school in Southern California. I had a student in my sophomore Bible class whose first name was Deanna. Like Brook, Deanna also had scoliosis. Impressed that the Lord wanted to minister to her, I asked if she’d like me to pray for her. She said she would so I had her come to the classroom the following day after school (I also invited our pastor’s wife to be present).
As with Brook, I had Deanna sit in a chair then I held her heels together — and one leg was shorter than the other. Praying in the Name of Jesus, her legs evened out and she was healed! Of course she was overwhelmed by it all!
Well, the next day I shared what had happened with another Bible class. They burst out laughing! They thought I was joking. Soon they discovered I was serious — yet I don’t know that any of them ever believed it. I felt a little like Jesus must have felt: I was dumbfounded that they didn’t believe me! We had been studying the Life of Christ, they’d read about Jesus’ power, then when He shows up they laughed it off!
Jesus’ purpose was to do the miraculous in the presence of faith. He did not then, nor does He now, cast His pearls before swine. If we know Jesus well enough we’ll recognize His work and rejoice when it comes our way!