Healing Through God's Messengers - article by Joel Hempel
A couple of weeks ago, Pastor Scott preached about healing and how God works in our lives. The sermon and the gospel lesson from John chapter nine served as a bridge to the healing service planned for Wednesday, March 9.
During the Lenten service, Pastor Scott will invite all who want to receive prayer and anointing to come forward. We will then go to one of the two prayer teams. As we stand there with our sister and brother, we will be invited to share – in confidence – that for which we need healing.
Many things get damaged in our lives: Our health, emotions, relationships, a loved one, our world. It could also be a spiritual crisis in one’s life – for example, sin that has a grip on us or a challenge for which we need God’s wisdom and guidance. We are invited to bring any concern to a prayer team.
Of course, you don’t have to share your concern with a prayer team to receive God’s healing. But Pastor Scott reminded us this past Sunday that God often makes his presence known through the care and love of a brother or sister in Christ.
A few weeks ago at Baseball Darts, Commissioner Rodger Lubben asked me to give a brief devotion. I began by asking three questions: Do you have a challenge beyond your ability to handle? Do you have stress in your life that has felt overwhelming at times? Do you have concern for someone close to you who is hurting or in trouble? Seven of the nine people present answered yes to at least one of those questions.
The response to those questions tells me that most of us are walking around with physical, emotional, or spiritual pain – pain that needs healing.
God wants to heal each of us. Will our thorn be removed? I don’t know. I pray it will. Will we be given the grace to carry the burden or manage the pain? Count on it! The promise God made to Paul he makes to us. His grace is sufficient. The particular grace God will offer on March 9 is the grace of a brother and sister receiving your concern, holding it with compassion, and offering it to God for his blessing and mercy.
Something extraordinary occurs when someone listens deeply to your pain, hears your need, and then anoints you with oil and offers a prayer for healing.
