This question feels timely for me to address, as I myself have been unwell recently with a nasty winter virus. However it got in, this invader completely knocked me sideways and I am still not through the after effects of fatigue, brain fog and weakness.
A family member needed to collect something important in a nearby town, though, so I drove them in and slowly pottered around the shopping centre as I waited. That short exertion was more than enough to wear me out and make me want to go back home!
Entering the car park area, two older ladies were just inside its doors, talking to one another in a way that made me sense that something was amiss. Had one of them lost something? Perhaps dropped or damaged something? The easiest thing would have been to leave them both to their conversation, but I just felt compelled to ask them “Is everything okay?”
It turned out that, only moments earlier, one of the ladies (Hilda) had tripped and fallen down over a kerbstone in the car park. She had found it difficult to get up, which is when the other lady had spotted her from a distance and gone over to help her to her feet. Hilda explained that she had hurt both knees in the fall. Her good Samaritan helper had called someone from the shopping centre management to come and help, but no one had arrived yet. God bless that wonderfully kind lady who didn’t let her own advanced age stop her from helping someone in need!
Hilda was already grateful for the concern my son and I had shown her by stopping and checking what we could do to help. Once again, the easiest thing would have been to leave it to the management to come along and take care of the situation. But, without any degree of energy, confidence or being “in the zone”, I hesitatingly asked Hilda “Would you like me to pray for you? I often pray for people who are in pain so that God can heal them”. When Hilda began her reply with “Well, let me tell you…..” I honestly thought she was going to say that she has her own religion/beliefs or that she doesn’t believe in anything like that, thank you very much. But to my total surprise she continued with “I would love you to pray. I do think there is something in prayer.” How easy and misguided it is to assume only the negative!
Bending down and gently touching Hilda’s knees, I commanded all the swelling, pain, bruising and trauma to go and for everything to be restored and healed. (The photo above is of the prayer in action, taken without me realising by my son!) It wasn’t a very coherent prayer and we got rather cut short by the arrival of two management guys, but it was enough to bring Hilda relief and comfort – and a smile across her face! When I told her as we were leaving that everything would be okay, she really did look like she believed it for herself and she held my hand in thanks.
Complete what you have started, dear Jesus, and continue to reveal Yourself to Hilda in the most unmistakable ways. Help her to recall that you sent several assistants to her aid today, and that it was your own healing power that touched her body to make her well. May her heart really ponder these things deeply.
As for the question at the start of this post…..well, I for one know that today and many times before now, Jesus has released His healing power through me to someone else when I myself have been unwell, weak, barely willing and low on faith. It’s nothing to do with our own power, “togetherness” or goodness whether someone can be healed. It is Jesus who heals, first to last. Our role is simply to be available – often very imperfectly! - to release His love and power to those He brings across our path.
We wouldn’t say that only someone who is perfectly free of any sin can help another person receive saving forgiveness through Jesus, would we? So why do we think that only a perfectly healthy person can possibly pray for someone sick or in pain to receive healing that comes through that same Jesus?! He has fully won it all! Salvation AND healing.
Freely we have received – freely we can give, however we are feeling in body, mind or emotions!