Pass It On

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13 ESV)

Jesus called us to love one another. Our love of God comes first. God is our creator; He created all things, and all of His creation is for His glory. God deserves all our love and glorification.

God called us to love others as God has loved us. Now, we cannot manifest the things that God can. We cannot save souls; God can do that through us. Doctors can heal, but their wisdom and desire to heal others come from God. If you think about it, doctors can cause the healing to begin, but isn’t it God that heals? That whole idea might be a Gordian knot I should avoid; I am talking about love.

Our love for others is something we should desire to display. A kind word of faith can change someone’s whole outlook. Reminding someone of the love of God, for them, can often release weight from within them, allowing them to take a breath. To remind someone that God is in control and that if one is saved in Christ, God’s mercy and grace come to them daily. Telling them they are prayed for tells them that someone in addition to Christ is an advocate for them. It is much smaller than the advocacy of Christ, but our prayers help. God hears our prayers. Jesus told us this Himself.

If you have received the love of a brother or sister, and they are praying for you because of the situation of another in your life, pass that love on to the one who needs it the most. Let them know others are praying for them and that they are not alone. If they are a believer, remind them they are a child of God. God loves them. Pray with them, lay your hands on them. Remind them that the Spirit of the Lord resides in them. All of these actions can lift someone up in the name of Christ.

Serious or potentially terminal situations are not a win-lose situation for the believer. They are difficult for those around the one who is ill. They are difficult for us because we love the ones who are sick and want to keep them with us. It is a selfish but understandably grievous situation. For the one who is ill, if they know Christ, it is a win-win situation. If God heals, they remain here among us with the ones they love and who love them. If that is not God’s will, they will be with Christ in paradise. There, they will remain in the glory of God for eternity. In a resurrected body, free from sickness and pain, bathed in the glory of God. Either way, they win, and God is glorified.

It is a miracle that God can take a pile of vile, dirty rags, filthy, dirty, and disgusting and turn it into a child of God. It is a miracle that this resurrection was done out of love and came out of the blood bled by the Son of God, who knew no sin. Yes, God still performs miracles; they may not be what we specifically ask for, but God still displays His power. And yes, God still heals when God has decided to heal.

Why did I write this? Obviously, God placed someone before me who needed to hear these things I have written. I ask that you pray for those currently dealing with severe illnesses. I wrote this because these ideas are important for all of us to remember. We as saints need to remember when we know and love God and understand the sovereignty of God; whether God heals or not, we should love Him anyway. He is God; it is His plan and for His glory, not ours.

Peace and Grace!