I have been praying a lot recently for healing.

One of the people I enjoyed praying for is a friend who lives several countries away. This is only a short post to share that, once again, I realised something incredibly obvious: it is God who heals, not us. We don't need to be next to someone, laying hands on them, for them to be healed. God heals them! The Roman centurion didn't even need Jesus, of all people, to come and look at his son, still less to lay hands on him. His son's healing was a reward for his faith. In laying on hands, we do not impart some special magic. And yet, sometimes, we can sometimes think of ourselves as "necessary agents to God's agenda". We think we need to be in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing, for God's Kingdom to come.

It's true enough that God has a plan that actively involves us, and if we make ourselves open to His voice, He will guide our steps. Being in the right place, with the right words, can be a source of comfort, healing and strength to our brothers and sisters. But again, I find myself far from convinced that this is the whole story. We can flatter ourselves that we are indispensable. But really, it's God's mercy to work with us - to allow us to be His co-workers - rather than His need. He can "raise up sons of Abraham from [...] stones". But He chooses instead to show His love by drawing alongside us, bearing with us, encouraging and strengthening us, guiding and steering us, chiding and blessing us. How strange that He should choose to do this. But how wonderful, too.

Let's be encouraged by the call of God to be His co-workers.