Healing
Church went into overtime yesterday. I think we won! It was one of those days when there were many prayer concerns -- that's a big part of why we are there! Most of the requests were for persons with various and sundry health issues. We also had some thanks given. Many of these folks will be cured as well as being healed. God wants us all to be healed but not all of us will be cured despite all the medical miracles available to us today. We feel badly when someone we love is not cured but we can pray that they will be healed in the process. Not necessarily healed of physical infirmities but healed spiritually so that they can feel God's love while nearing the end of life as we know it. We pray they will have God's peace as they approach their "ultimate healing".
We learned again how Naaman, a powerful soldier, suffering from leprosy (a skin disorder which probably wasn't leprosy as we know it) was advised by a little slave girl to go see the prophet Elisha in Samaria. He goes to his king and asks for permission to leave the country. The king sends him off with ten talents of gold and six thousand shekels silver, 10 sets of clothing and a letter to the king of Israel. When he gets there, the king tells him "I'm not God" and tore his clothing. Elisha finds out that the king has torn his clothing and asks him why he had done that. The king tells him about Naaman's plight and Elisha sends Naaman a message to wash in the River Jordan 7 times. Naaman gets ticked off because Elisha just messengers but his men tell him there is no harm to do be done by following the directions given him. He goes to the river and does as he is told and emerges with skin as smooth as a baby! Now that was a cure! Was he healed? Yes, because came to believe in the God of Elisha and turned away from the gods worshipped in his own country. That's how his healing occured. That's the Cliff Notes version.
There is more to the story and there are many stories of healing in the scriptures. I did a bible study just on healing a number of years ago and the reactions of those who are healed are what is probably most interesting. I think my favorite story is the one where Jesus and the disciples go to Peter's house. Peter's mother-in-law is sick. She is healed and then gets up and fixes a meal for them! A question. Where was Peter's wife?
It wasn't just the message that was excellent yesterday. It was the hymns, the children's time, and the lovely rendition of "The Prayer of St. Francis" that the choir sang!
I pray that those who most needed comfort received it!
Lois
%2
We learned again how Naaman, a powerful soldier, suffering from leprosy (a skin disorder which probably wasn't leprosy as we know it) was advised by a little slave girl to go see the prophet Elisha in Samaria. He goes to his king and asks for permission to leave the country. The king sends him off with ten talents of gold and six thousand shekels silver, 10 sets of clothing and a letter to the king of Israel. When he gets there, the king tells him "I'm not God" and tore his clothing. Elisha finds out that the king has torn his clothing and asks him why he had done that. The king tells him about Naaman's plight and Elisha sends Naaman a message to wash in the River Jordan 7 times. Naaman gets ticked off because Elisha just messengers but his men tell him there is no harm to do be done by following the directions given him. He goes to the river and does as he is told and emerges with skin as smooth as a baby! Now that was a cure! Was he healed? Yes, because came to believe in the God of Elisha and turned away from the gods worshipped in his own country. That's how his healing occured. That's the Cliff Notes version.
There is more to the story and there are many stories of healing in the scriptures. I did a bible study just on healing a number of years ago and the reactions of those who are healed are what is probably most interesting. I think my favorite story is the one where Jesus and the disciples go to Peter's house. Peter's mother-in-law is sick. She is healed and then gets up and fixes a meal for them! A question. Where was Peter's wife?
It wasn't just the message that was excellent yesterday. It was the hymns, the children's time, and the lovely rendition of "The Prayer of St. Francis" that the choir sang!
I pray that those who most needed comfort received it!
Lois
%2
posted by Lois at 4:08 PM
1 Comments:
What a perfect summary of Michelle's message Lois! We all really needed to hear her message on Sunday didn't we?! And, I agree, the music was so so good,
the choir was perfect that Sunday!
And what a message from the Choir's anthem to go with Michelle's message. -- Linda
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