Holding Forth Healing to the Nations

TRULY the peoples of the nations are greatly in need of healing, physically, politically and especially religiously, spiritually. While their leaders admit it and promise the people healing, the results show that they, like Job’s feigned comforters, “are physicians of no value.” (Job 13:4) Healing of the nations can come only from Jehovah and on his terms, even as he told his ancient people Israel at 2 Chronicles 7:14.

The one whom Jehovah has chosen through whom to bring this healing to the nations is his beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Nineteen centuries ago he went throughout the land healing not only the mental and physical infirmities of his people, but, far more vital, their religious and spiritual ills by means of the truth. Beginning with the Roman soldier Cornelius, this healing work extended to the Gentiles.—Acts 10:1-48.

For some time now God has been doing a modern healing work, even as foretold: “And on this side of the river [of water of life] and on that side there were trees of life . . . And the leaves of the trees were for the curing of the nations.” (Rev. 22:2)a As a result there is today a New World society of more than seven hundred thousand Christian witnesses of Jehovah who have come into friendly relations with God and obtained forgiveness through faith in Jesus’ shed blood. By means of the truth of God’s Word they have had their minds made over, making them free from false religion, from selfish pursuits and from the fear of man.—John 8:32.

While we cannot repay God for healing us, we can show gratitude and appreciation therefor. How? By holding forth healing to others. Doing so, we further show that we love our neighbor as ourselves.

Regarding his own healing activity Jesus said: “We must work the works of him that sent me while it is day; the night is coming when no man can work.” The same is true of us; the time is fast running out in which we can hold forth healing to the nations. Are we doing all we can, or are we contenting ourselves with part-time healing activity when we could be devoting full time to it? Are we limiting our healing activity to where the need is the least when we could share in the healing work where the need is great? Are we limiting our activity to nine or ten hours a month when by just devoting one evening hour, one hour Saturday afternoons and three on Sunday regularly each week we could double our activity? What that would mean in the way of increase if we devoted twice as much time to the healing work!

And what about opportunities for incidental healing activity, such as at our places of employment, as we travel, in business contacts or when we have guests at our homes? Surely if we are alert we can find many opportunities to hold forth healing to the nations. Nor should we let inclement weather serve as an excuse for staying home; rather, let it present us with a challenge that we will meet like men. Yes, why let bad weather deter us when it does not prevent our children from going to school or keep us from our places of secular employment?

The time is fast running out. There will not be another such opportunity to hold forth healing to the nations as is ours today. Let us show our gratitude to Jehovah and our love to our neighbor by holding forth healing to the nations to the extent we are able to do so.

[Footnotes]