The Healing
By David W. Argue
Micah is our youngest son.
He was playing in a summer softball league … and broke a
bone in his foot.
A trip to the doctor confirmed that it was broken —
X-rays to substantiate.
And, then, the added worries.
In a week he would be facing the extensive final medical
screening process that would clear him (or not) to enter the Army.
With a broken foot?
He came to see us for a final visit several days prior to
the scheduled medical exam.
Limping.
Just before he was to leave, it “seemed like a good idea”
that we pray over him.
He sat in the big easy chair in the living room and closed
his eyes. Four of us knelt by him and began to pray softly. It seemed to me
that there was not too much faith stirring in anyone. These few days had been a
family time entirely, and now it was mostly a farewell moment.
What was going on was simply obedience — obedience to
do what Jesus said to do when healing is needed.
As we prayed,
invoking the name of Jesus over Micah, suddenly he came up out of the chair
with a shriek.
I am embarrassed to admit it, but I thought I had done
something wrong … like “laying hands” (too firmly) on him!
I thought, We were just following the directive of Scripture:
“Lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Lord, do I need to apologize to
him?
The prayer ended shortly and with Micah in pain. In moments
he was gone, returning to his residence many miles away.
Several days later he called us, having just seen an Army
doctor and explained the situation to him.
The doctor took fresh X-rays and in a few minutes came back
into the room. He carried both the original set of X-rays and the ones he had
just taken.
The physician began Micah’s consultation with this question:
“Are you a religious man?”
Micah’s answer:
“Yes, sir, I am.”
“Well, I am
too,” the doctor said, “and from what I can understand, I am holding the
evidence of a miracle in my hands. In this set of X-rays your foot is broken,
and in this set, it is healed. Your foot is fine, and I have no problem
clearing you to proceed with your plans to enlist.”
The shriek from Micah as we were praying over him was the
bone being reset: God’s “hand” under ours. The pain he still felt in his foot
after prayer was simply the foot adjusting to the new wellness. In several
days, as the doctor predicted, the pain disappeared.
Micah was cleared fully. He enlisted, shipped out, and this
summer returned from a full tour of duty in Afghanistan.
No foot problems.
I reflect often on what happened … how easy it would have
been to have not prayed, and instead told him we “would be praying” for him.
How often I have waited for a feeling inside of me —
of inspiration or faith or energy — before actually praying. I can see
now how often I have fallen into the trap of thinking that it is actually
something in me that is the key to healing.
How often I have tried to measure my own faith or
preparedness so as to merit what is actually and fully God’s gracious action.
I so easily get it wrong.
Do you too?
More and more I realize that healing occurs because God
loves us.
God knows the plans He has for us (Jeremiah 29:11), and He
has an infinite measure of health to pour down upon us. He is full of grace and
mercy … and surprises. And, as in the process of salvation, it is “not of
works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:9, KJV).
In a fresh rereading of the Gospels and the Book of Acts, I
have discovered that most (about 75 percent) of the healing/power moments in
the New Testament are recorded as occurring in an informal setting — the
store, the home, the place of business, the seaside, on the road, in the
restaurant — rather than in the more formal settings — the temple,
the altar, the courts, the church.
So often I have limited my engaging in the healing process
to the formal settings — the prepared, the controlled, the predictable,
the bright-light events. Could it be that we would enhance the in-breaking of
the life of God in healing all around us if we would get spiritually active in
the settings that He most likes to show up in? Yes, yes, yes.
So, my objectives more and more are:
1. To cultivate an aggressive listening to the prompts of
the Spirit 24/7.
2. To acknowledge continually that healing/power expressions
are all of God … and so little about me at all.
3. To watch for ways to release faith in places of need and
to take the presence of God into every situation of life.
4. To be as real and natural as possible — so that
Jesus may be seen more clearly.
Jesus said:
“ ‘These are some of the signs that will accompany believers
… they will lay hands on the sick and make them well.’ And the disciples went
everywhere preaching, the Master working right with them, validating the
message with indisputable evidence” (Mark 16:17-20, The Message).
DAVID W. ARGUE leads church development and HonorBound for
the Rocky Mountain District Council.
E-mail your comments to pe@ag.org.
