Do you believe in supernatural healing?

Do you believe prayer prompts God to heal the sick?

These are ancient questions that – in spite of our modern scientific discoveries – continue to fascinate us.

We’re hearing a growing “buzz” about a pending pandemic of “swine flu” also known as H1N1. Researchers claim to have developed a vaccine for this strain, but the fact that the virus has attacked and seems to be gaining momentum shows again that no matter our technological cleverness, we humans remain at the mercy of forces in nature we can’t – naturally – control.

It’s in times like this – and worse – that we know we need God. Sickness, while never created by God is an opportunity to pray and to watch God’s hand at work.

More and more doctors are coming to believe in the power of God to heal through prayer. They know all too well the limits of their own power.

In a recent survey of more than 1,100 U.S. doctors, (cited by the Houston Chronicle) 85% of doctors say believe that religion, spirituality and prayer had a positive influence on a patient’s health and recovery.  They also noted that a significant percentage of physicians believe in miraculous cures.

For decades scientists have tried to identify specific effects of a person’s prayers on others. Some studies show no verifiable impact; several indicate statistically significant outcomes and the power of prayer to heal disease. In the days ahead, I’ll blog about some of these studies…

For people who believe the stories of the Bible, this is no surprise. God described himself as, “I am the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:26, Jeremiah 30:17). And on nearly every page of the Gospels Jesus is depicted healing diseased bodies: lepers, the lame, a blind man, a woman who had endured hemorrhaging for 12 years (Matthew 9:22).

Science… History… What about now? Does God still heal? Ask some people in your world. Chances are, you know someone who believes they’ve been healed by God.

Do you have a story of God’s healing power, of your own or of someone you know? Share it!