Miraculous Material

Today I want to write about one of my sons. I have 3 sons and 1 daughter, and my second oldest son had a birthday on April 4th.

I, in cahoots with his fiancé, drove out of state to surprise him on his birthday. I had not seen my boy since the day after his father passed away, over 2 years ago. It was a wonderful, sweet, and healing reunion.

I took him some of his dad’s clothes; a few dress shirts and such. I also took Wendell’s robe, which had hung on the back of my bedroom door for over two years.

And, if you knew Wendell, more than likely you had seen him with a “do-rag”.

Wendell wore them all of the time to keep the sweat from dripping down his forehead. My son is now building fences just like his dad taught him and it seemed fitting that he have a couple of these items.

“do-rags”…a tough guy’s way of saying bandana; before that, a handkerchief or hankie.

According to Wikipedia, from the late 18th century white handkerchiefs were waved, generally by women (men usually waved their hats), to demonstrate approval at public events such as processions or political rallies…Besides their intended use, they could be used for cleaning equipment, polishing shoes, cleaning hands and face, signaling attention, as a sweat band, neckerchief, as protection from dust inhalation, to repair footwear, cut out pieces to patch clothes, cut up as emergency firearms cleaning patches, hot cooking utensil holder, a makeshift bandage, tourniquet, or arm sling, AND a miraculous tool for healing!

Handkerchiefs. I found this word in the Bible yesterday and soon discovered it is used only one time in the King James Bible. Just once, but it is a powerful scenario. The Bible tells us that God worked “unusual” miracles by the hands of Paul. Ya, I would say so. Paul’s sweaty headband’s were taken to the sick, and not only were they healed of their diseases, but the Bible says “the evil spirits went out of them.”

Handkerchief is from the Latin ‘sudarium’ and literally means, “a cloth used to wipe off perspiration.” These were Paul’s doo-rags. He used these bands to keep the sweat from dripping into his eyes.

I’m trying to picture that first time. How, who, when and where was this first manifested? How many times were his personal, sweaty items used to heal others? It amazes me to think about it.

“So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.” Acts 19:12 KJV

From Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers: “…Luke’s own habit of mind as a physician, which would lead him to dwell on the various phenomena presented by the supernatural gift of healing; a further explanation may be found in the inference suggested in the Note on Acts 19:9. Such a report of special and extraordinary phenomena was likely enough to be made by a physician like Tyrannus to one of the same calling, and probably of the same faith. The picture suggested is that of devout persons coming to the Apostle as he laboured at his craft, and carrying away with them the very handkerchiefs and aprons that he had used, as precious relics that conveyed the supernatural gift of healing which he exercised.” (Source: biblehub.com)

I think again of the woman who reached out and touched the hem of Jesus’ clothes. I think of the clay that was used to open the eyes of the blind man. I think of the spit that was used to loosen the tongue, the fingers in the ears. Paul’s sweatbands and aprons.

None of this makes sense to a world that does not believe. For the masses, this is the stuff of fairytales. But for those of us, who know the real, living power of Jesus, this is as real as it gets.

Of course, none of these things had the power to heal and change lives in and of themselves. There is nothing miraculous in a sweaty headband, but there is power in the message of the cross. There is healing power in the name of Jesus.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent…Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” 1 Corinthians 1:18-21 NKJV

The power source came from Heaven; and you can put your trust and faith in that source of power.

by Jeanette Stark – Thursday, April 13, 2023