In yesterday’s blog, I talked about how we should show love to those in pain and trials and not offer judgment and accusations, in the way that Job’s friends did. I also mentioned how we can pray for those we know who are in pain. I wanted to talk more on that today, because that is probably the one of the most important things we can do, and yet sometimes we neglect it.
In Matthew 8:5-13, we find the record of Jesus and a centurion. The centurion’s servant was lying at home paralyzed, and in terribly agony and pain. (Some versions of the Bible say he was dreadfully tormented. yikes!)
The centurion came to Jesus, asking Him to heal his servant. This story is powerful in so many ways. If you haven’t read it in a while, or ever, I encourage you to read it.
The centurion knew, and acknowledged that Jesus was powerful enough that He need only speak the word and His servant could be healed. He didn’t even require that Jesus come to his home to do it. He knew Jesus could do it from right where He stood.
And this is the part I want to stress: The centurion’s faith alone was great enough that Jesus marveled at it. (vs. 10) The servant’s faith was never called into question. Perhaps his was just as great. Maybe it wasn’t. All we know is that the centurion interceded on the servant’s behalf, and that the servant was healed that same hour.
We are called not only to love our neighbors as ourselves, but also to pray for one another that we may be healed. (Ja. 5:16)
Unless they’ve told us it’s the case, we never need to tell someone that they aren’t being healed or delivered from their trial because their faith isn’t strong enough. We need to intercede on their behalf. We never need to accuse someone of being sick or in trials due to sin, but we need to pray for them.
What the centurion did on his servant’s behalf is an excellent example of how we should live. Job, as well, before his children died, offered up offerings to the Lord just in case his children had sinned. These are excellent examples of people who are going to the Lord on behalf of others.
Not everyone will be healed. Is that hard to hear? God has plans for people that sometimes do not include healing, because He uses people in so many different ways. But that should never stop us from asking. We do not know His plans. We need to ask. We need to seek.
Above all, though, what we need to seek, for ourselves and for each other, is a relationship with Him, which will keep us calm in every storm, every trial, and every sickness.
Let’s be interceders and never accusers,
jamie
considering the word 