“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, NIV)

Saint Bede, an English Monk in the 7th century AD (672-735), believed that healing was a present-day gift of God for the church. In his books he shared some of the healings he witnessed. Here are some of those recorded miracles:

One day a husband and wife visited a church. They had their 10-year-old daughter, who was completely blind, with them. Priest Germanus prayed for the child, and she was immediately healed. The parents were so relieved (Chapter 18).

The wife of an earl was very sick. Bishop John of Beverly sent her holy water. She was directed to drink some of the water and use the rest to bathe the painful spots on her body. That same evening, she was completely healed.

During Lent one year, Bishop John took in a scab-covered, mute boy. The bishop asked him to stick out his tongue, and then he drew the sign of the cross on the boy’s tongue. The boy immediately began to speak. He was so excited that he talked all the rest of the day.

Bede enjoyed documenting these miracles, for it was a testimony of how Jesus still heals people.

All of this reminds me of Captain Naaman: “Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:1, NIV).

This leprosy stood in the way of Naaman being able to protect his country, for no one wanted to be with him. A young Israeli girl who served in his household told his wife: “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:3, NIV)

Naaman did go to Elisha, the prophet in Israel. However, when Elisha urged him: “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed” (2 Kings 5:10, NIV), Naaman, a very proud man, was filled with rage. He thought: “‘Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?’ So he turned and went off in a rage.” (2 Kings 5:12, NIV). His own servants encouraged him to follow the prophet’s instructions: “Naaman’s servants went to him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, “Wash and be cleansed”!'” (2 Kings 5:13, NIV).

Naaman was astonished when he was healed so rapidly. He immediately put his faith in the God of Israel.

Remember that the people that came to church for healing came expecting to be healed, and their faith in the merits of Jesus made them whole. Do you believe?

Rob Chaffart


(To view the entire “Miracles From the Past” devotional series, please click here.)