My gratitude for the stories in the Holy Bible is unbounded. They contain so many valuable lessons relevant to our daily lives. We learn from them that God is ever present, that we are one with God, and that He communicates directly with us. They also offer proof that we can experience profound healing through prayer—even of long-standing problems.
In the New Testament there is the story of a woman who was “bowed together” and unable to stand straight for 18 years. She was healed when Jesus saw her and declared with certainty, “Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity” (Luke 13:12). Then we have the story of the man who struggled with an infirmity for 38 years and was healed quickly after Jesus asked him, “Wilt thou be made whole?” (John 5:6). This indicated that no material means were needed for healing, but rather a sincere desire to be whole and a receptivity to the Christ message.
A number of years ago these stories inspired me and guided me to the healing of a thumb problem. I was experiencing what is commonly referred to (and often described in advertisements) as arthritis in my thumb. Not only was this condition awkward and extremely uncomfortable, but the thumb was completely useless, and this problem kept interfering with daily activities such as opening a jar. The situation seemed utterly hopeless, as the condition continued and appeared to be incurable, as advertised.
