Afterword

In the Foreword to this book, Richard Scott writes that anyone facing serious illness or death must ask themselves: “What am I going to do about it?” These reflections – written by two men of deep faith, who helped countless suffering souls – provide tremendous wisdom in response to this question.

With bold confidence in the God who works miracles, and with childlike acceptance of God’s will in all things, Johann Christoph and Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt point us to look beyond our physical condition to Jesus – the one who heals and brings life to both body and soul – and to his
kingdom. For them, the redemptive reality of God’s healing love not only comforts us in our affliction but has the power to renew our spirits, providing us with the peace and hope that pass all understanding.

For anyone suffering in body or soul, this book of reflections offers not only enduring insights into the meaning and significance of suffering, but a quiet strength that inspires us to live more fully and with more purpose despite suffering. We often have to suffer ourselves in order to understand; the same applies for our need to experience God’s healing touch. God heals in unimaginable ways, and when he does so, it is because he wants us to know and testify that death is not the final power.

In a world where pain is viewed as outright evil, and where medicine is trumpeted as the antidote for all that ails us, the Blumhardts remind us that true healing extends far beyond whether we are free of sickness or not. They believed that even the most material remedies can be improved by means
of prayer, and they also understood that when we completely surrender to God’s will much greater things will take place. This is good news indeed, especially for those who know firsthand the limitations of medical science and the futility of a painfree life.

We mortals have to contend with bodies that are frail and vulnerable to all kinds of disease, not to mention the many other vicissitudes of life. This is why I personally have turned to the Blumhardts again and again to gain new courage and a fresh perspective. I’ve also shared their insights with
friends and acquaintances who, in times of terrible suffering, felt bereft of faith and hope.

I trust that you, the reader, have found this book not only a comfort, but also a challenge to live more fully for God and his will. I also hope you will think of others who might benefit from reading it. Only in Jesus is there real and lasting help. He is the Great Physician, the one who will not only raise us up to eternal life but who will restore all things. He alone can make God’s reality enter again into our lives.

Charles E. Moore