"13-15Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you've sinned, you'll be forgiven—healed inside and out." (The Message)
Believers have practiced anointing down through the ages. But what used to be a common practice has now become the exception rather than the rule. The gathering of believers shared life together from birth and joy through sadness and death. So when there was someone who was ill people would gather around them and pray. The person anointed would be asked if there was any sin in their lives that might keep God's power from bringing a healing miracle. It was never assumed that if the person didn't get well that it was because of sin but rather the awareness that when we carry sin that we refuse to turn away from it could limit the work that God might do within us and through us.
There are many things that I do not pretend to understand. One of them is the power of God's praying people. I have been in too many situations where people have asked to be anointed and following worship and prayer they have found that the illness that they faced has been lessened or even removed. Not every time, or even most of the time, but enough of the time to believe that there is power that we often do not call upon.
Believers have practiced anointing down through the ages. But what used to be a common practice has now become the exception rather than the rule. The gathering of believers shared life together from birth and joy through sadness and death. So when there was someone who was ill people would gather around them and pray. The person anointed would be asked if there was any sin in their lives that might keep God's power from bringing a healing miracle. It was never assumed that if the person didn't get well that it was because of sin but rather the awareness that when we carry sin that we refuse to turn away from it could limit the work that God might do within us and through us.
There are many things that I do not pretend to understand. One of them is the power of God's praying people. I have been in too many situations where people have asked to be anointed and following worship and prayer they have found that the illness that they faced has been lessened or even removed. Not every time, or even most of the time, but enough of the time to believe that there is power that we often do not call upon.
Could it be that we have left this passage in favor of the certainty of science and in the process lost the power that God would like us to share in?
Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:
- What would you consider a miracle of healing today?
- Would you find it easier to pray for someone else or have them pray for you? Why?
- Are there unconfessed sins in your life that might be keeping God from doing work in you or through you?
- Who could you pray for today that needs the healing power of God to be present in their lives?
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