I watched a report on Primetime Live last night on a man who calls himself "John of god." He lives in the middle of Brazil and supposedly channels the healing power of dead doctors and is then able to heal people himself. He's been at this for 30 some years. People from all over the world travel to see him in hope that they might be healed of their ailments.

As I was watching this, I was fascinated at the 4 people they followed who were traveling from far off places in order to be healed by this mysterious man. Three of them from America, one from South Africa. They all had either fatal or severely life altering problems and they all believed that this "John of god" could heal them.

I won't dwell on the details of the story, rather, the thoughts that ran through my mind as I watched.

One thing I couldn't help thinking about was the issue of miraculous healing and Christianity. All we have to do is read the Gospels and Acts and we will see that physical healing was a significant part of the early church's ministry. And I can't help to think, "what has happened?" Now, I am positive that God still works in and through His people as He did before, but why does it not seem to be as much a reality? Am I just not seeing it? Or has something been lost? Did God just do more miracles in the beginning of the formation of the church? Doesn't He still desire to change people's lives?

Another thing that struck me was the whole attitude of those hoping for a healing. They sincerely believed. It was almost like their hope had turned into a sort of disillusionment. Their hope had grown so strong that it totally changed who they were. I was amazed at the desperation that would cause someone to travel across the globe, to deny sound medical advice, to put their life on the line, all due to the hope they have placed in some wacko. These people were hungry for the supernatural.

What does this mean to us as Christians? If people are willing to go to such great lengths due to what I would classify as a false hope, what could happen if they encountered the true hope of God!? Have we as a church stifled the supernatural aspect of Christianity?