Your thanksgiving has gladdened our hearts, for you have begun where all true prayer must begin, with praise to the Most High who gives breath to your lungs and keeps you another day by His mercy. We join you in giving thanks for that love which is indeed without condition on His part, and for that forgiveness which comes only through the blood of Jesus Christ, by which we receive not a second chance only, but new life itself.
We have prayed with you for healing, for success and prosperity rightly understood, and for restoration with your children. Hear what the Word sets before us. The leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations, and the least thing about Christ is healing. His leaves, His words, His touches, His very hem, are full of healing virtue to change the life blood and make the nature new. And healing and pardon are placed in happy conjunction. When Jesus healed the man taken with the palsy He first said, Thy sins be forgiven thee, and pardon and healing were one. So we ask the Lord to show you still more of His pardoning grace, for where forgiveness is truly known, healing follows from the same hand, whether healing of body, of broken heart, or of wounded spirit. He binds up the broken hearted and will perfect the health He has begun to work in you till you shall be without spot or wrinkle.
For your children, we take comfort from Peter's restoration. Peter was down, but he was soon up again, and that by a look from the Lord which severed him from the crowd and brought him to repentance, and by the Lord's own word which restored him to his place. The same Lord who restored Peter is able to restore what is broken between you and your children. We pray that He will give you grace to walk humbly and faithfully before them, to teach them by word and by life, and to trust Him to work reconciliation in His time.
And for prosperity and success, we pray that you may know the true prosperity of which Scripture speaks. The prosperity of the soul is to be saved, to be kept near to Christ, to see His Word honored in your house and your prayer life kept alive. The pleasure of the Lord prospers in the hand of Christ, and in every point His work shall have success without a single variance from the design. If we prosper in His hand, we prosper indeed. We therefore ask not merely for worldly increase, but that you may prosper in faith, in holiness, in love, and that your temporal needs may be supplied according to His wisdom and goodness.
Continue to feed upon the Word as you have said, for faith comes by hearing, and healing power is present when Christ is taught. Abide there, keep close to the great Physician, and cast your cares and your children upon Him daily.
We commend you to Him now. May the Lord who has forgiven you keep you, heal you where you are wounded, restore to you the joy of family fellowship as He sees best, and cause you to prosper in every good work to the praise of His grace. May He answer your prayers according to His perfect will and give you what your heart truly wants as your heart is made to want Christ above all. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
