Friday, August 14, 2026
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9 KJV).
If our physical posterity could augment its spiritual dexterity, exactly what would that entail?
Although Paul performed healings, exorcisms, and other miraculous demonstrations (Acts 13:6-12; Acts 14:3,8-10; Acts 15:12; Acts 16:16-18; Acts 19:1-7,11,12; Acts 20:7-12; Acts 28:1-10; cf. 2 Corinthians 12:12), and his Gentile converts were granted the same miracle-working power (1 Corinthians 12:9,10,28-30), these were exceptions rather than the norm—and we cannot emphasize it enough (!). Such miracles became fewer and fewer as the years passed, until they disappeared altogether.
In the same epistle wherein he wrote how he wrought miracles (Galatians 3:5), Paul referred to his “infirmity of the flesh… [his] temptation which was in [his] flesh” (Galatians 4:13-15) (an unspecified physical problem—disability, disease, limitation—never cured). Moreover, he penned 2 Corinthians 11:30 and 2 Corinthians 12:5-10, additional verses as touching his “infirmities” (weaknesses, illnesses). After the Acts transitional period, he was unable to heal Timothy who suffered multiple health issues: “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities” (1 Timothy 5:23). His farewell has in its conclusion: “Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick” (2 Timothy 4:20). Before re-locating to Heaven, the Apostle could not cure an ill colleague in ministry!
“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:22,23). “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man [physical body] perish [grow older, sicker, and finally die], yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). Rather than a (temporary) physical healing, we await our resurrection to inhabit glorified bodies (Romans 8:17-25; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:1-5)….
333 Words of Grace 