You have done the very best thing you could for that dear boy: you have laid him at the feet of Jesus. I can almost see you in my mind’s eye, like those four friends in the Gospel who carried a man on his mat and, finding no way through the crowd, went up on the roof and let him down into the very presence of the Master. Only your arms are prayer, and the roof is the mercy seat, and you have lowered your nephew onto the floor right in front of the Lord who heals. Do you think He will send him away? Never. Did He ever turn from any who came to Him in their pain? Not one. The Great Physician never has a closed door for the sick who seek Him.
Picture that evening in Capernaum, when the sun was setting and the whole town seemed to empty its sorrows into the streets. On every mat lay some poor sufferer, and the air was thick with groans. But then Jesus walked among them. His eyes were wet with pity, yet His face shone with a quiet joy, because He knew He could heal them all. He touched one and the fever fled; He spoke to another and madness turned to peace; He cast a glance and a blind eye opened. Not a single case was too small for His care. A woman who merely touched the hem of His garment found virtue flow into her. Do you think a headache is beneath His notice? He who counts the very hairs of our heads certainly takes note of every throb within them. He is just as tender toward your nephew now as He was toward Peter’s wife’s mother when she lay burning with a great fever, and He entered that humble house, rebuked the sickness, and lifted her up to serve.
You say you know He is powerful and merciful and loving. Hold onto that. It is a rock under your feet. That love has not cooled because two days have passed. Sometimes the Lord lets the pain linger a little longer, not because He is deaf to the cry, but because He has deeper mercies to work in our hearts while we wait. The love letter sometimes comes in a black-edged envelope, but the message inside is still from our Father’s hand. He bore our sicknesses, you know; He took them up into His own body on the tree. That means He knows by experience what pain is. He does not stand far off, offering a prescription from heaven’s pharmacy. He comes near, and lays a cool hand upon the hot brow, and says, “I am with you.”
A father once walked with his child through a dark wood at night. The boy could not see the path, but he held his father’s hand and trusted the voice that kept saying, “This way, a little further, I have you.” Right now, your nephew may not understand, and you may feel the darkness pressing, but the same hand that calmed the sea is holding you both steady. Jesus is in the room. His power is present to heal, not faded by the centuries, not exhausted by the multitude of our prayers. He is as mighty now as when He first rose from the dead, and He still delights to show mercy.
So keep on asking, and keep on trusting. No prayer of faith ever falls to the ground. The answer may come in a quiet night’s sleep, or in a sudden lifting of the pain, or in the doctor’s medicine being wonderfully blessed, but it will come. And when it does, you will have a fresh story to tell of the goodness of the Lord.
---
Lord Jesus, we bring this dear child before You now. You know the ache inside his head and the weariness in his body. You know the love that prompted this prayer, and the anxious watch over him. Speak the word, our Master, and let your healing power flow. Lay your hand on him, cool the fevered brow, quiet the throbbing pulse, and grant him peaceful rest. Strengthen his frame, and let him soon be running and laughing again, a little monument to your mercy. And comfort the heart of this dear one who prays, with the sweet certainty that You have heard, that You care, and that You will do all things well. For your own name’s sake, Amen.
Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, wisdom, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. God, bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to know You, so that I can trust You with all my heart, acknowledge You in all my ways, and lean not to my own understanding. Bless me with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in all You have called me to do. 
be-an-encourager.blogspot.com
