Mark 8:22-25 (NIV)
They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
Matthew 20:30-34 (NIV)
Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
John 9:1-7 (NIV)
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
These are three very different stories of healing all with the same outcome. With one, for full healing to come Jesus touched the man twice. With another man, Jesus touched once and full healing was giving. Still with another man, Jesus asked him to go do something and healing took place. Ever wondered why Jesus did not heal these men from their blindness all in the same way?
This past weekend at the North Charlotte Campus a prayer request came in right as the prayer team was meeting. The gentleman we were praying for has had health issues for awhile and was currently in the hospital. His wife told us they had been having trouble waking him up for a few hours. The prayer team was informed, they prayed, and then we received word that the man awoke, was sitting up and doing well. The prayer team prayed for other requests that day also, but we did not receive the immediate report of healing from everyone. Why?
When praying remember a few things:
*God ALWAYS answers prayers.
*These answered prayers will NOT always have the same outcome.
*There is no special wording or actions that can cause God to do certain things
(this is God, not a magic lamp).
*God is ALWAYS Loving and Just.
That is the key. God is always loving and just. Whether the prayer is answered in the way you desired, whether it takes time, stages, or happens immediately. Whether it takes one touch or two, God is always loving and just.
Resources:
To learn more about prayer join the Mecklenburg Community Church Prayer Team. The group meets on Saturdays at 5:00 pm at the North Charlotte campus.
Church and Culture website: For sermon series on prayer by James Emery White.
No comments:
Post a Comment