Silas
Beloved of All
Your prayer has been heard and I am joining you in bringing this infection and this high white count before the Lord. It is wearying to be in and out of the hospital and to feel sick in your body, and it is right to ask God to touch you from the top of your head to the soles of your feet, physically, spiritually and mentally.
Scripture shows us that God cares about the body. When Matthew describes Jesus healing many who were brought to Him in the evening, he says this was to fulfill what Isaiah spoke, that He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. Isaiah chapter 53 speaks of the suffering of the Messiah, and Matthew by the Holy Spirit applies it not only to forgiveness of sin but also to physical healing. When Jesus broke the bread and said this is My body which is broken for you, He was pointing to that same provision. Healing is part of what Christ has purchased, and God is still able to heal today. He is concerned with our physical needs.
At the same time the Bible teaches us not to presume that it is always God's will to bring instant physical healing in every case. The apostle Paul prayed three times for the Lord to remove what he called a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him, and the Lord did not remove it but gave him grace to endure it. We do not always understand why some are healed quickly and others are not. Any true healing, whether sudden or gradual, is from God. He has built healing processes into our bodies, and those natural processes are divine because He created them. The gifts of healing are real, but Scripture also teaches that not everyone has the same gift, for the body has many members with different functions.
That is why we pray the prayer of faith and trust the Lord to work as He chooses. The letter of James tells us to call for the elders to pray over the sick, anointing with oil in the name of the Lord, and that the prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise them up. The oil and the laying on of hands have no power in themselves, they simply give a point where faith can be released to the Lord who alone heals. God often heals through the means He has provided, including doctors, medicine and good care. The law given to Israel shows how seriously God takes cleanliness and hygiene to stop the spread of disease, and seeking medical help is not a lack of faith but a wise use of what God has allowed us to learn. Continue to follow the care of your doctors while you look to the Lord as the ultimate source of healing.
There is also a close connection between the health of the soul and the health of the body. John wrote to Gaius that he wished above all things that he would prosper and be in health even as his soul prospers. That was a loving wish, not a guarantee of healing, but it reminds us that inward peace and spiritual health affect us physically. A joyful heart does good like medicine, while fear and anxiety can harm the body. As you wait on the Lord, keep caring for your soul by resting in Christ, confessing sin, receiving His forgiveness, and letting His peace guard your mind.
So I pray for you now. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I bring this dear one before You. You see this infection and this elevated white count, You know the weakness and fear that comes with being sick and hospitalized. I ask that You would touch this body with Your holy hand, that You would drive out infection and illness and restore what is out of balance to normal. Grant wisdom to the doctors and effectiveness to what treatment is given, and above all do Your sovereign and gracious work, whether through sudden touch or through the gradual healing You have ordained. Heal also the heart and mind, bring peace, strength and renewed faith, and let this one know Your presence at their side. We trust Your love and Your wisdom, knowing that You have borne our sicknesses and our sins, and that whether in healing or in sustaining grace, You will do what is best. Amen.
Scripture shows us that God cares about the body. When Matthew describes Jesus healing many who were brought to Him in the evening, he says this was to fulfill what Isaiah spoke, that He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. Isaiah chapter 53 speaks of the suffering of the Messiah, and Matthew by the Holy Spirit applies it not only to forgiveness of sin but also to physical healing. When Jesus broke the bread and said this is My body which is broken for you, He was pointing to that same provision. Healing is part of what Christ has purchased, and God is still able to heal today. He is concerned with our physical needs.
At the same time the Bible teaches us not to presume that it is always God's will to bring instant physical healing in every case. The apostle Paul prayed three times for the Lord to remove what he called a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him, and the Lord did not remove it but gave him grace to endure it. We do not always understand why some are healed quickly and others are not. Any true healing, whether sudden or gradual, is from God. He has built healing processes into our bodies, and those natural processes are divine because He created them. The gifts of healing are real, but Scripture also teaches that not everyone has the same gift, for the body has many members with different functions.
That is why we pray the prayer of faith and trust the Lord to work as He chooses. The letter of James tells us to call for the elders to pray over the sick, anointing with oil in the name of the Lord, and that the prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise them up. The oil and the laying on of hands have no power in themselves, they simply give a point where faith can be released to the Lord who alone heals. God often heals through the means He has provided, including doctors, medicine and good care. The law given to Israel shows how seriously God takes cleanliness and hygiene to stop the spread of disease, and seeking medical help is not a lack of faith but a wise use of what God has allowed us to learn. Continue to follow the care of your doctors while you look to the Lord as the ultimate source of healing.
There is also a close connection between the health of the soul and the health of the body. John wrote to Gaius that he wished above all things that he would prosper and be in health even as his soul prospers. That was a loving wish, not a guarantee of healing, but it reminds us that inward peace and spiritual health affect us physically. A joyful heart does good like medicine, while fear and anxiety can harm the body. As you wait on the Lord, keep caring for your soul by resting in Christ, confessing sin, receiving His forgiveness, and letting His peace guard your mind.
So I pray for you now. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I bring this dear one before You. You see this infection and this elevated white count, You know the weakness and fear that comes with being sick and hospitalized. I ask that You would touch this body with Your holy hand, that You would drive out infection and illness and restore what is out of balance to normal. Grant wisdom to the doctors and effectiveness to what treatment is given, and above all do Your sovereign and gracious work, whether through sudden touch or through the gradual healing You have ordained. Heal also the heart and mind, bring peace, strength and renewed faith, and let this one know Your presence at their side. We trust Your love and Your wisdom, knowing that You have borne our sicknesses and our sins, and that whether in healing or in sustaining grace, You will do what is best. Amen.
