Wow this chapter is packed with so many warnings and instruction in just a few verses!
S - vs13-15 NLT
Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, annointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you ahve committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
O- These verses say to me.. for every situation wether good or bad there's an action that needs to follow it, not passiveness. If I'm happy people need to know the source of my happiness by seeing me praise Him, when I have needs don't worry or complain but pray, sickness - come together with my church body and pray. Too many times I sit back and complain or take credit for good things that happen instead of taking godly action to every situation. More people would see Christ in me if I would change that!
It's also a reminder that God's healing is different from an earthly idea of healing. I've can think of 3 situations with friends and relatives when I've been a part of praying for serious healing. One was Beth in Almyra who had cancer, my dad's brain tumor, and Rachel's hand. Beth who had cancer died quickly after diagnosis, dad's brain tumor wasn't cancer and is gone with no long term effects, Rachel's hand is in tact with some minor deformity. In all those situations we prayed for healing and with all 3 healing was granted but in different ways. For non-believers they would say helaing didn't happen in all those situations but for me as a Believer I know that Beth received ultimate healing by getting to go HOME and the healing that came in the other situations has been a platform for sharing God's grace and activity in their life!!!
A-I've got to stop being passive and listen intently to the actions God wants to follow with every situation so I can bring Glory to Him. Continue to pray for healing with believers and non believers so God can show up and show out and my action following is praising him out loud in my actions and words that HE was the one who healed!
P- Saw Holly briefly last night and didn't get to talk yet! Please pray that I take advantage of any opportunity God gives me with her, it's very hard for me to be honest with her.
Thank you Father for being Healer and for giving us opoprtunities to glorify you in every situation we're faced with. Give me an overwhelming desire to point others to you in all that happens in my daily life.
Karlyn, I love how you said others need to know the source of our happiness. This is so important! Others need to know why we are smiling. We serve a risen Savior! Life is not always happy and no we do not need to fake it all the time, but bottom-line He's already done more for us then we could ever ask for. Thank you for hitting the nail on the head. It's all about the source!
ReplyDeletePraying for Holly and you. She is so blessed to have you as an aunt. I know the Lord will make a way. Much love dear friend :)