“When he left there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up a mountain, where he sat down. Then large crowds came to him bringing with them the lame, blind, crippled, mute, and many others. They laid them at his feet, and he healed them. As a result, the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing, and they praised the God of Israel.” —Matthew 15:29–31
Hurting humanity constantly sought the Healer for healing. In these verses we see our Lord sitting on a mountainside so that He is both visible and accessible to all. Jesus received all kinds of people—those who were poor, those who were rich, those who were ordinary, those who were in positions of authority, those in bondage physically, those in bondage emotionally, those in bondage spiritually, those who were the outcast. As Jesus sat on the mountainside, it was as if he was settling in to do His gracious and good work for all those who needed Him.
Isaiah tells us:
“For this reason the LORD is ready to show you mercy; he sits on his throne, ready to have compassion on you. Indeed, the LORD is a just God; all who wait for him in faith will be blessed.” —Isaiah 30:18
People were continually bringing their needy relatives and friends to Jesus for His healing touch. The illnesses themselves spoke for those in need much more clearly than any words could ever accomplish. Certainly, the only way to find healing for all the problems plaguing humanity is to bring them to Jesus! Physical ailments and as well as spiritual diseases were no problem for the Great Physician. Now, just as then, Jesus eagerly desires to heal all.
Isaiah’s words from God remind us:
“Is my hand too weak to deliver you? Do I lack the power to rescue you? Look, with a mere shout I can dry up the sea; I can turn streams into a desert, so the fish rot away and die from lack of water.” —Isaiah 50:2
We all need wholeness. We all need to experience peace like a river and righteousness like the waves of the sea. If we are honest with ourselves, we will acknowledge that our rebellious hearts, our persistence in going our own way, and our determination to pursue paths which are against God and His ways have caused us much harm and produced nothing but futility. Jesus holds out His arms to us!
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.” —Matthew 11:28–30
“This is what the LORD, your protector, says, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you how to succeed, who leads you in the way you should go.” —Isaiah 48:17
Faith comes in believing what God says is true. It is trusting that He has our best interest at heart and that His ways work out to our advantage in the end. This is not to say that our paths will be easy or painless, but they will always lead to God’s good work in us. We can trust Him. Just as those who were clamoring for Jesus’ touch because they believed He could and would help them, we too can know that Jesus will help us.
The scene described in our verses for today is reminiscent of the one described earlier in Matthew:
“Jesus went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness among the people. So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, paralytics, and those possessed by demons, and he healed them.” —Matthew 4:23–24
The work of our Savior was not limited to His preaching. His miraculous deeds pointed to the fact that He was who He claimed to be. His actions authenticated His message. Indeed, Jesus came teaching, preaching, and healing:
“Then Jesus went throughout all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness.” —Matthew 9:35
Become More
“… and they praised the God of Israel.” —Matthew 15:31
Further Reflections
“There are no disappointments to those whose wills are buried in the will of God.” —Frederick William Faber
“His love in times past forbids me to think, He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink.” —John Newton