Past Devotions

What does it mean “by His stripes we are healed.” Is it solely physical healing or is there a much deeper meaning we often forget?

 Peter includes that verse from Isaiah 53:5 in his first letter to the church. “‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’”

The Greek word for “healing” is “iaomai.” It has multiple meanings: restoration of bodily health, deliverance from demonic oppression, mending of broken hearts and the ultimate cure for sin’s damage. It never appears as a merely medical term but as God’s gracious intervention that reaches body, soul, and spirit. It reverses the curse that was introduced in the Garden of Eden. [Genesis 3]

As Peter uses the word, he applies it to the atonement. He refers to our healing as a completed fact. The spiritual cure for “our sins,” was finished by Jesus on the cross. It is ours now and it is ours forever.

We should never limit “by His stripes we are healed,” to only physical healing. From my perspective, the healing Christ Jesus has accomplished in removing my sin, my guilt, my shame … and the continuing healing of my attitudes and actions (enabling me to overcome fear, anger, arrogance, etc.) … is far greater than any healing of my pitiful physical ailments.

Would I welcome physical healing? Certainly. But if it never comes, I have experienced so much more “by His Stripes.” Amen&Amen

What does it mean “by His stripes we are healed.” That verse from Isaiah is so often linked to physical healing – but is it limited to physical healing only? That’s what I want to look at today and tomorrow.

Isaiah 53:5 declares: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” [NIV]

The Hebrew word for “healed” is “rapha,” and is used in the OT for mending water, land, cities, personal bodies, broken hearts, and covenant relations. It always underscores God’s prerogative to restore what has been broken. The LORD declared to the nation of Israel on the shore of the Red Sea that “I am the LORD who heals you.” [Exodus 15:26].

From the beginning, healing was an act of covenant faithfulness and not merely physical healing. As the word is repeated in the OT, there are, of course, multiple occurrences of physical healing, but there are also national restorations [1Chronicles 7:14), and healing of hearts. [Isaiah 6:10, Hosea 6:1, Jeremiah 3:22].

Ultimately, the verse in Isaiah foretells of a Suffering Servant who will be “pierced for our transgressions.” This verse in Isaiah 55 reaches the summit. It speaks of the final healing, the atonement that will tackle sin’s guilt and its corrupting effects on the whole of mankind – spirit, soul, and body.

Tomorrow “Iaomai”

My body is struggling. I never know what awaits me when I wake up each morning. Will I have a lot of pain, or just a little. How long will my muscles be stiff? Will I have head, neck and eye pain. Or will it be a “good” day?

I have often sought prayer for “healing.” I am open to healing. I know God heals bodies; I’ve seen it firsthand.

When praying for others, I often hear people recite the verse from Isaiah 53:5, “by His stripes we are healed,” or the repeat of that verse in 1 Peter 2:24, “by His wounds you have been healed.”

Occasionally, I have witnessed that verse used as a rebuke – to those whose physical healing doesn’t manifest. And I have witnessed the burden for a lack of healing placed squarely on the heart of the one not healed, labeled as a “lack of faith.”

If we “are healed” as Isaiah said, and “have been healed” as Peter wrote, what does that mean. Is there more depth to healing than merely physical?

The Hebrew word for “healed” in Isaiah is “rapha,” and the Greek word for “healed” in 1 Peter is “iaomai.” The thing about both of those words is that while both can refer to  physical healing, neither are limited to physical healing. In fact, both encompass so much more!

Tomorrow “Rapha.”

It’s interesting that two people can stand at the base of a great mountain and see two different things. One sees a challenge to embrace, the other sees something to fear or avoid.

When the children of Israel landed the first time at the border of the Promised Land, Moses sent 12 men to scout the land. Twelve men spent the same amount of time surveying the land; 12 men all saw the same things. But 2 men viewed what they saw differently than the other 10.

The report of the 10: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there…. We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” [Numbers 13:27-28, 31 NIV]

The report of the 2: “Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.’” [vs 30 NIV]

Two men, Caleb and Joshua, saw a challenge to embrace (with the power of God). Ten saw something to fear and avoid. Because the nation of Israel believed the ten rather than the two, they would spend the next 38 years wandering in the desert until that generation died. Caleb and Joshua would then lead the new generation into the very same Promised Land the spies had surveyed.

What do you see when the LORD brings you to a promise … a challenge to embrace, or something to fear and avoid? Let us all be like Caleb & Joshua! “We can certainly do it!” Amen&Amen

There are approximately 8.32 billion people scattered across this ball we call earth (as of August 29, 2026.)

I am one. So are you.

I am an almost 80-year-old woman, living in a small house, in a small city, in a small state, in the third largest country in the world (after China and Brazil). I have family and friends who know me, but overall, I am virtually unknown by anyone of importance – well, except for One who is of Great Importance!

GOD KNOWS MY NAME.

Jesus reminded His listeners that He knows each of His Sheep by their names. “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out… I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.” [John 10:3, 7 NLT]

God is never going to forget someone’s name (as I often do). He is never going to confuse us with anyone else. He has a unique and personal relationship with each of us.

GOD KNOWS YOUR NAME!  Isn’t that awesome!

Amen&Amen!

At the beginning of this year, I decided I wanted to read 1Samuel again. Once I got started in that book I just kept reading. I read through both Samuels, both Kings, both Chronicles and then kept going through the post-exile and poetry books, right up through the Major Prophets.

This morning I find myself trying to decide if I want to keep reading through the Minor Prophets until I get to the Gospels, or do I want to skip straight to the Good News. I feel like those Major Prophets have done me in! So much doom and gloom! I am crying out for Good News! And that may be exactly what they are meant to do! They make us thirsty for the Good News of our Savior, Christ Jesus.

One verse from Jeremiah has been circling through my mind – it is the verse that highlights two sins. “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” [Jeremiah 2:13 NIV]

Two sins. The first was forsaking God – “the spring of living water,” and the second was thinking they could do it without God – digging their “own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

That is a danger for all of us – to think we can do life without God. If we attempt to do so, we will find ourselves dry and thirsty. I know I need to revisit the “spring of living water” every day – sometimes every moment! Amen&Amen

One of my daily verses reminded me this morning that I am a crackpot, well actually a “cracked” pot. The NLT translation said it a bit kindlier, “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” [2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT]

We are a “fragile clay jar,” but inside this “fragile clay jar” is a great treasure. What is the treasure? It is the light emanating from the Good News.

“Satan, the god of this world, has blinded the minds of people who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the good news. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ who is the exact likeness of God.” [vs4]

God makes this light shine in our hearts for two reasons. First, so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ; and second, as Paul continues in the remaining verses of the chapter, for the benefit of others. The light of the Good News shines through us so that others might see and surrender their lives to Christ Jesus also.

Whenever I read this chapter in 2Corinthians, I am reminded that the more my pot is “cracked,” the greater the light – that great power from God – that can be revealed to others. Amen&Amen

John 15 is divided into two sections, the first is “Jesus, the True Vine,” and the second speaks of the “World’s Hatred.” Verse 5 reminds us that “apart from [Jesus] we can do nothing.”

I heartily agree with that statement, and yet, in one small way I disagree. The one thing we can do apart from Jesus is destroy ourselves. I was reading a prayer/devotion in “The Valley of Vision Pilgrim Prayers” and came across this quote. “I can destroy but not save myself.” A few sentences later the prayer continued, “May I always feel my need of Him.”

I truly can destroy myself with my bad choices, my disobedience, my rebellion, my rejection of God’s salvation, but I cannot save myself. I need the salvation that comes only through Christ Jesus my LORD. [John 14:6]

All my spiritual life, my faith, my obedience, my gifts, and any fruit flows from Christ Jesus my LORD through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in me. And all my strength and power to live and serve also comes from Him.

My total dependence to thrive in this Christian walk comes from Christ Jesus my LORD. As the pilgrim prayer reminds, “May I always feel my need of Him.” Amen&Amen

Bob and I watch PGA events. Our favorite player is Scottie Sheffler, who won his first PGA event in 2022. He has become the #1 Golfer. We have followed his career since then. He has repeatedly said he is a Christian, husband, and father first, and a golfer second.

This year he was #1 in FedEx points going into the 3-event Tour Championship. He won the first event (St. Jude FedEx) by 8 shots. In the second event (BMW) he struggled but managed to tie for 12^th place. During a round he was paired with Matt Fitzpatrick, #2 in FedEx points.

Following the BMW event, Scottie revealed he was suffering from Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, a viral infection common in children that produces painful blisters on the hands, feet, and mouth. During the event it was difficult for him to hold a club or speak because of the blisters.

At the first round of the third event (Tour Championship), Sheffler was again paired with Fitzpatrick, who had since learned of the difficulties Sheffler was experiencing the week before. When Fitzpatrick met up with Sheffler, he laughed and said that “he thought Scottie was mad at him” because he didn’t speak to him during the round.

It reminded me how often we misjudge people who are hurting. We think that they are angry, or arrogant, or difficult when in fact, they are in pain (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual).

Colossians 3:12 reminds us that we are to approach everyone with kindness and mercy. We need to always be aware that others may be going through a difficult time. “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” [NLT]

Pastor Paco and I were talking before a recent Prayer Meeting began at CFC Middleton. He said something that made my heart swell with thanksgiving.

CFC Middleton is in the same building where I used to pastor The Way Assembly of God. I used to often sit in that log cabin church building and pray fervently for revival, for it to be filled with believers, for the children’s church building to be filled with children, for the town of Middleton to be impacted by the Gospel of Christ Jesus. Another pastor at CFC recently remarked to Pastor Paco that I must be thrilled to see all that now coming to pass.

As I thought about what he said, I thought of Simeon. Simeon was a devout man in Jerusalem who was waiting for the Messiah. The Holy Spirit had told him that he would not die until he saw God’s Promised Savior. He was there when Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple to be dedicated.

His response was to thank the LORD and declare that he could now “die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation.” [Luke 2:25-35]

I am so thankful – like Simeon – that I was granted to see the things I prayed so fervently for all those years now coming to pass. I am seeing God’s Promise. Thank you LORD!