For the past 3 months or so our church has been praying for a friend of ours that was in an automobile accident. He was thrown by some accounts hundreds of feet from his vehicle. He was in a coma for over 60 days and has come out of it although his movement is still significantly impaired. A friend a church suggested several weeks back that he felt the Lord was leading him and others to "lay hands" on this individual. I believe God can heal. I've never been a part of the "laying on of hands" as described in the book of James (5:16). I didn't feel particularly called to pray for this young man, but I did think it was worth asking the family if they were interested since my church friend didn't know the family personally. I figured I would "tee it up" for the men. To make a long story short, it was just he and I. Introduced them, my friend connected the dots and I was available to go. We chatted on the way there about how to approach this since we don't know if the family, while "churched" understand what it is to have a relationship with Christ. We debated gospel verses or just pray. I suggested a few verses from the gospel, testimony, which I was apprehensive but willing to share if it were what the Lord wanted. I also told my friend that if he was hesitant about that I was more than willing to forgo that and just pray. He borrowed a colloquialism from his wife and said, "sometimes shorter, is better. Let's just pray." I breathed a sigh of relief, but wondered why I had felt the Lord was leading me toward gospel. So, we dropped in chatted a bit and then prayed and "layed hands" on the young man. He received it, shuttered a bit upon conclusion, and then we left.
The thing is this: God can heal that kid. 100%. He didn't. I know, that it isn't very often that God heals in that way anymore. But I walked away feeling foolish. Deep down I really hoped for something miraculous, something real that would show that God is who he says he is-even today. That two schmucks from a little church down the road could come along, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and provide a conduit to the healing power of Jesus.
So in the end, I don't know what we offered that young man. A view that people come, pray to the God of the Universe and ending with a shutter - they move on with their lives? What value did we bring? Ultimately, I don't know. I hope someday to know. But God commanded us in the bible to pray for one another...and so I do. May God be glorified in my ignorance.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
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