In St Paul's we have prayer for healing in the side chapel during communion
at the 10am service on the fourth Sunday of each month.
Prayer for healing has a long and honourable place in Christian practice.The gospels record numerous acts of healing by Jesus, acts which were seen in the science of the day as the
casting out of demons. In the science of today we can pray for God's intervention to assist
the natural processes of healing, and to guide health professionals in their choices
in the treatment of particular people or ailments.
It is important not to expect miracles to result from
prayer, nor to expect measurable results; important to be open to blessings
other than the one you specify; and important not to blame God or yourself if
GodŐs response to your prayer is not exactly what you were seeking.
Miracles: There are always
innumerable possible futures in any given present (some more likely than
others), and when we pray for a blessing we are asking that the future we
experience will hold a good outcome. It is in the power of God to grant such a blessing, but He cannot be
asked to turn back the clock and undo an outcome we have already
experienced. He cannot restore
life in this world to a loved one dead and buried, or take you back to before
you lost your leg. God does not do
magic, he blesses those who come to him in prayer. We should always ask for blessings,
not for miracles, and we will not be disappointed, if we hold ourselves open to
God's love.
Measurable results: No-one
has ever demonstrated a statistically significant set of results from prayer
for healing. If we could, we would
be proving the existence of God, and he will not allow such a proof. You shall not, as Jesus reminded his
tempter, put your God to the test.
Specific outcomes: It can
happen that people who ask for a specific blessing do not experience it, and
may believe God has forsaken them. Even Jesus, praying with tears of blood that he might not have to face
crucifixion in his vulnerable human frame, ended his prayer with "Nevertheless,
let it be as you wish" (or "Thy will be done" in King James' English). The
blessing God gave Jesus was to make him the vessel for the salvation of
humankind. God can give us
blessings we have not expected. A
prayer for the relief of a dying person's pain might be met with pain relief or
with their earlier death. The pain relief, or even the early death, might come
from a wise decision made by the person's doctor; or the person may be granted
a new level of tolerance which brings them comfort.
Lastly, when your prayers do
not seem to be answered, do not blame yourself for your lack of faith. Scripture actually says that healing
comes from the faith of those praying for you, not from your own (although
presumably you do not come for blessing in a spirit of scepticism).
At our prayer for healing times, those
there to pray for people's healing may include Dean Peta, Rev Glenda, Judy
McAdam, Michael Grounds and Elizabeth Sinclair. The last three have long experience
in the healing professions, and have long valued prayer for healing - and for
guidance.
People are invited to come
and tell one or other of our prayer group of their problem and their petition,
and hands are laid on them as a prayer is said for their blessing. Petitioners
are welcome to invite their friends to join in the laying on of hands.