Lately, there has been one name of God that has been on my heart more than any other.
Jehovah Rapha.
The Lord who heals.
I can't even begin to count how many times those two words have come off my lips over the last several months. Years really. Sometimes they've been whispered through tears. Sometimes they've been prayed in faith. Sometimes they've simply been all I had left to say.
"Jehovah Rapha...please heal."
As many of you know, our family has spent years walking through medical journeys. We've watched Ridge endure surgeries that most adults couldn't imagine. We've celebrated miracles that only God could have orchestrated. We've also faced seasons where healing didn't come as quickly as we prayed it would.
And more recently, I've found myself on my own healing journey.
The surgeries.
The doctor's appointments.
The physical therapy.
The waiting.
The wondering.
Some days I've prayed boldly. Other days I've prayed exhausted. Why us even? Why OUR family?
Yet through every season, one thing keeps drawing me back to this particular name of God.
The first time we see God reveal Himself as Jehovah Rapha is in Exodus 15.
The Israelites had just experienced one of the greatest miracles in history. God had parted the Red Sea and delivered them from Egypt. But only three days later, they found themselves standing before bitter water that they couldn't drink.
Can you imagine?
One miracle behind them. Another need right in front of them.
Doesn't that sound familiar?
God instructed Moses to throw a piece of wood into the water, and the bitter water became sweet. Then God made this incredible declaration, "I am the Lord, who heals you" (Exodus 15:26).
Not "I can heal."
Not "Sometimes I heal."
Not even "I heal."
He said, "I AM the Lord who heals you."
Healing isn't simply something God does.
Healing is part of who He is.
We see this healing nature of God woven throughout Scripture. One of my favorite examples is found in the story of King Hezekiah. After receiving the devastating news that he was going to die, Hezekiah did the only thing he knew to do. He turned his face toward the wall and prayed. Before the prophet Isaiah had even left the palace courtyard, the Lord stopped him and sent him back with these words, "I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you" (2 Kings 20:5).
Those words have found a home in my heart lately.
"I have heard your prayer."
"I have seen your tears."
"I will heal you."
What a beautiful reminder that Jehovah Rapha is not a distant God who is unaware of our suffering. He sees every tear we've cried, hears every prayer we've whispered, and knows every burden we've carried. Whether we're praying for healing for ourselves, for our children, or for someone we love, we can rest in knowing that the God who first revealed Himself as Jehovah Rapha in the wilderness is the very same God who heard Hezekiah's prayer.
And He's the same God who hears ours today.
That truth has changed the way I've prayed.
I've realized that when I call Him Jehovah Rapha, I'm not reminding God of what I want Him to do.
I'm reminding my own heart of who He already is.
Sometimes He heals instantly.
Sometimes He heals through gifted surgeons, physicians, therapists, and medicine.
Sometimes He heals over months or years.
Sometimes the healing He begins isn't physical at all. It starts in our hearts while our bodies are still waiting.
None of those change His name.
He is still Jehovah Rapha.
I've also noticed something else about the story in Exodus.
God revealed Himself as the Healer before Israel reached the Promised Land.
Before life became easier.
Before all of their problems disappeared.
He wanted His people to know His character before they understood His plan.
I think He still does that today.
Maybe that's why this name has stayed on my heart.
Every scar reminds me.
Every physical therapy session reminds me.
Every ache reminds me.
Every prayer reminds me.
I'm not asking a distant God to notice me.
I'm talking to Jehovah Rapha.
The God who sees.
The God who knows.
The God who heals.
Will I always understand how or when He chooses to heal? No.
Will I always like the timing? Definitely not.
But I can trust His character even when I don't understand His methods.
I've even started studying the different names of God because each one reveals another piece of His character. They aren't just titles. They are revelations of who He has always been and who He will always be.
Right now, the name I need most is Jehovah Rapha.
Maybe yours is too.
Maybe you're praying for healing in your own body.
Maybe it's for your child.
Maybe it's someone you love.
Maybe your wounds can't be seen on an X-ray or MRI, but they're just as real.
Whatever you're carrying today, remember this:
Your healing may still be in progress, but your Healer has never changed.
He is still Jehovah Rapha.
And that is enough for me to keep praying one more prayer, trusting one more day, and believing one more time.
May my lips forever seek out and praise Jehovah Rapha—the Lord who heals.
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