Good health, overall, has been one of God’s ways of blessing me. Mostly, I have avoided hospitals and physicians. The few times I had to deal with medical tests or pain were quickly forgotten. Several weeks ago, a routine screening brought new knowledge of my physical body’s weakness and mortality. Yesterday I went through a prostate biopsy, a procedure I tremendously dreaded! And now, I have to wait for the determination. Is it cancer or not? (Results will be given to me next Monday.) Anytime the possibility of cancer exists, we shudder, don’t we? No matter the statistics, the advances in treatments, and the assurances of medical personnel, that word is still ominous.
There is one thing that sustained me yesterday: prayer! Hundreds of people from California to Massachusetts talked about me behind my back - to the Lord. Notes that told me about it were amazingly comforting. This past Sunday, several church leaders gathered ‘round me, laying their hands on me in prayer and I wept; in part from love I felt, and in part because the safety of that moment allowed the very real fear I held inside to leak out! I have no idea how many people I have prayed for in my lifetime, but it has to be thousands! I can only hope that my prayers were as comforting to them as the prayers offered on my behalf are to me at this time.
Prayer is more than emotionally therapeutic. It is powerful!
The Bible tells us to "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with." (James 5:16, The Message) I cannot explain all the reasons that an All-knowing, All-powerful Purposeful God wants us to pray, but He does. The Bible make that abundantly clear. Personal prayer involves listening that allows Him to direct us. That’s not all there is to prayer, however. There is a Biblically mandated prayer of petition that we cannot and must not ignore. "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT)
The Word urges us to ask boldly, ask faithfully, and trust Him radically. Know this! Faith is important, a God-focused faith. He doesn’t answer prayers just because we’re good enough, loud enough, eloquent, or even earnest. He hears our pleas when they are offered in the attitude like that of a child who asks favor from a loving father. No good Dad gives his son everything he asks for because his wisdom knows that not all things desires are the best. Our Father does what is best for us.
Disciple, we need to pray for one another – not just from a distance – but in person. This must be a regular practice that does not wait for a crisis time. Go ahead and talk about me behind my back, to God. You can even criticize me to Him! You can, and should, ask Him to change me, to correct me. I’ll do the same for you! And God will put it all in the right perspective and use our prayers to accomplish His will and purposes. When we pray for each other, we must go beyond – “Lord, bless Pete, Sally, and Sam.” Let’s get specific, praying for financial provision, for specific guidance, for restoration of love in marriages, and for all those things that real people experience. I asked people to pray specifically for me to have courage and peace as I went through yesterday’s procedure. I know their prayers were specifically answered! I did not feel stressed, had no adverse reactions. In fact, I fell asleep in the waiting room and my wife had to wake me up. Thanks be to Jesus for His wonderful peace.
Let me pray for you now borrowing Paul’s amazing prayer for the Ephesians, a prayer that is one of my favorite passages in the Word.
"When I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus
and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus,
I couldn’t stop thanking God for you—
every time I prayed, I’d think of you and give thanks.
But I do more than thank.
I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—
to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally,
your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do,
grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers,
oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!" (Ephesians 1:15-19, The Message)
To the praise and honor of our wonderful Lord. Amen!
_________________
I have a Savior,
He's pleading in glory,
A dear, loving Savior,
Though earth friends be few;
And now He is watching
In tenderness o'er me,
And oh, that my Savior
Were your Savior, too!
I have a Father:
To me He has given
A hope for eternity,
Blessed and true;
And soon will He call me
To meet Him in heaven,
But oh, that He'd let me
Bring you with me, too!
For you I am praying,
For you I am praying,
For you I am praying,
I'm praying for you.
I have a peace:
It is calm as a river,
A peace that the friends
Of this world never knew:
My Savior alone is
Its author and giver,
And, oh, could I know
It was given for you!
For you I am praying,
For you I am praying,
For you I am praying,
I'm praying for you.
I Am Praying For You
Cluff, Samuel O'Malley / Sankey, Ira D.
© Public Domain
No comments:
Post a Comment