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.
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.
posted by HappyClappy at 9:15 pm
2 Comments:
Tom, nice blog! I wish I had comment facility for mine! OK, a comment:
Surely we are just exactly that, 'necessary agents to God's agenda'? I do not think this is self-flattery, rather revelation of God's plan for redeemed humanity. Although you rightly draw attention to the centurion's remarkable outburst of faith, I would hesitate to rely so heavily on this for a theology of healing that so reduces our stragtegic role. 'Laying on of hands' is foundational doctrine is it not?
Delighted you like the blog. I shall use this comment, and comment from any others (hint hint) as a stimulus to get back into blogging.
I suggest you speak with our mutual Australian friend to secure a comment facility. Perhaps a tricky wiki is called for?
Now, you have sparked an interesting point here - so I hope you don't mind if I engage headlong with it. I'd be interested to explore the sustainability of a Biblical worldview that says either:
- we are in any way necessary to God's agenda; or
- laying on of hands is foundational doctrine.
Second point first. The laying on of hands can be highly important when done in a way that is directed by God. But compare and contrast Luke 4v40 (Jesus healing by laying on hands), Acts 8v18 (Simon trying to buy the gift of imparting the Spirit), and 1 Tim 5v22 (do not be hasty in the laying on of hands...). They're all parts of the mosaic, and to me, combine to give a clear message: laying on of hands is a powerful act, not to be done lightly, through which God sometimes chooses to work. The key point to me is that, sometimes, He doesn't work through the laying on of hands. And the point I was making is that it is not our presence, not our hands, not our magic that heals, as Simon clearly thought. It is God who heals (sure, sometimes in response to faith, but the faith is not a magic that achieves the desired result). I know we agree on this, so I shan't labour it.
On your first point, I really doubt that we are necessary agents to God's agenda. Perhaps we are just interpreting these words in a different way? Let me put it slightly differently: God doesn't need us. Specifically, He doesn't need me. I love that He chooses to work with me, but I think I am seriously deluded if I say that God's plan circumscribes God's character. Much as He loves me, He remains self-existent and self-dependent. The fact that He has said He will work with His people doesn't alter this.
A final point - what is foundational doctrine?! I seriously think that "laying on of hands" is low-priority doctrine. But to say that, I think I'll need to give some thought to what the higher-priority ones are? Watch this space.
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