Healing Peter

If he could heal the mother-in-law, he could do anything
Walk on water
calm a storm
raise the dead
all came naturally to him.

It began with fish
153 of them - he made us count them. No one knows why.
We had fished as usual through the night and caught little.
Then Jesus called from the shore
"Throw your net on the other side."
As if carpenters knew how to fish.
We could hardly pull the net in.

But although he had suggested it,
it wasn't his miracle. It was ours.
Well OK. He did it through us.
Or he showed us that we could do
what we thought was impossible.
That miracles are about believing in yourself.
Something I have never been good at.

"Heal the sick," he said.
As if we knew how
"Go out in twos and get on with it," he said.
"Bring the dead back to life and drive out demons."

The first time, a shadow
watched from the back as tentatively
I stretched out my hands.
"Three hands touched me," the sick one said.
"Of course," I said, startled myself,
"the hand of God rested on you beside mine."

And is the pain inside
the revenge of the demons I've driven from others.
The needs of others leaving my own needs unmet.

Jesus says, "come. Don't be afraid."
But often the water has risen around me
threatened to overwhelm me.
Even his outstretched hand cannot keep me from sinking.
Save me Lord.

And the beggar at the gate
begging bowl out
as if we had money.
"Look at us," I said.
"Worn sandals, torn cloak,
does it look as if we have anything.
But we'll share what we have
if you get up and walk!"

So the man got up and joined us
then went and shared his healing,
praising God, sharing the gift.

It's as natural as breathing
to reach out and touch
to include and enfold
across the divide not just of illness
but of fear and prejudice too.

To reach out and touch
is to reunite God's fractured spirit
to reignite the fire of his love.

It came as a bit of a surprise though
when even my shadow healed
just as the shadow of Jesus
had supervised me.

Simon Magus wanted to buy the gift.
Which was daft
Since he already had it for free:
He just had to accept it as a gift
and offer it freely to others

"Go and do likewise."
"As I have washed you so go and wash."
The young the old
The dispossessed
All have the gift
All are ministers now
All are healers now.

©Peter G Ashby 2008