07/29/2022
In Psalm 41 David writes of being sick, and how his enemies want the worst for him, but the real story here is that our God heals, and will often do so despite our prognosis, or the desires of others. Are any of us sick today? Do we have cancer, COVID, monkey pox, or perhaps something as routine as a cold, or headache? Whatever it is that sickens us, have we taken it to our Father, the great healer, by praying in faith, in His will, and in the name of His Son Jesus for relief? Or, have we simply made an appointment with a doctor, or taken a couple of aspirin, and decided to heal ourselves? Well, it is prudent to take the aspirin that God has provided, or seek help from medical professionals, but before, during, and after that, we should lift up our sicknesses before the Lord in prayer, and ask that if it be His will, that He heal us.
“The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.”
Psalm 41:3 ESV
There is a rather comical line that we attribute to doctors when they don’t want to take a night call, are uncertain what our treatment might be, or just want to move on to their next patient, and it goes like this…
Doctor: Take two aspirin and call me in the morning!”
We laugh, but sometimes this will actually treat our symptoms as the body goes about the amazing job of healing itself. We are wonderfully made, and our bodies have complex, and powerful, ways to heal themselves, but our physical bodies are also tied directly to our spiritual selves, and so prayer is also in order as we treat both body and soul. Haven’t we noticed how our appetite diminishes when we are sick? Well our prayer lives can follow suit if we are not attentive to them. So maybe we should take the humorous phrase we just quoted and change it up a bit…
Christian Doctor: “Pray, then take two aspirin, pray some more, then call me in the morning, and Oh, don’t forget to pray as you come to see me!”
When our body is sick it can impact the wellbeing of our spirit, but likewise, when our spirit is ill it can make us physically sick. So it makes good sense to treat both of them, and that is what David did in this Psalm, listen…
“As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!””
Psalm 41:4 ESV
When an elderly couple reaches their final years of life, and one of them dies of old age it is quite common for the other to follow their spouse into death within days, or weeks. This isn’t because of a physical sickness, but something unbelievers call “losing the will to live”, or “Dying of a broken heart.” As people of faith we might say these things too, but will add to it something like “She/he gave up the ghost (or spirit).” Or perhaps, “He died of a broken spirit.” Our bodies, spirits, and souls are coupled tightly together, and damage to any one of them can lead to illness and death…. So the body is made to heal itself, and we have doctors to assist in this, but our God is the great healer, and will not only cure us of our physical maladies, but will treat our spirits and souls as well. For this to occur we need to believe, have faith, pray, do as He instructs, and accept His will.
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
James 5:14-16 ESV
However, not every medicine will heal us, whether physical (surgical and medicinal), or spiritual (faith and prayer); sometimes it is God’s will that we, by the death of our body, enter spiritually into His presence.
“So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.”
2 Corinthians 5:6-9 ESV
So, if we are sick today, and regardless of whether our illness is one of body, mind, or spirit, we need to bring it before God because He is our Great Healer, and we should do this by praying in the name of Jesus, doing as God instructs us regarding healing, and taking the physical aspirin He has provided us as well. But, most of all, we need to put Him before all things… even our health, because it is His ultimate desire that one day we should be with Him, and that day is a mystery to all of us.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for healing us when we are sick, and for healing our entire being. Thank you for healing our bodies, our spirits, and minds, for you are our creator, and know us in every regard. Nothing escapes you Lord, and if it be your will to work our sickness together with our healing for good, then we praise you for it, and say “Here am I”, but if our illness brings you glory, or it is time for us to enter into your presence through the death of this body, then we faithfully call out louder yet… “Here am I.” Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who heals, and great are you whose will is perfect in sickness, health, and even our death and resurrection. Praised be your name for lifting us out of our sickbeds, and deathbeds alike, and may all the glory be yours in this. Merciful are you who heals us and returns us for a time to our loved ones on this earth, and for reuniting us with you and those we love for eternity in heaven as well. Wonderful are you who can heal us in part, or full, on this world, but perfectly in Heaven. To this end we seek you, believe, and have faith; thus wash us in yhe blood of Jesus, your lamb, and cleanse us of all sin. Prepare us in this way to be pure as we stand before you in judgement, and let your eyes see the perfection of Jesus as you judge our worth, and heal our every ill. Seat us at your table, made new, resurrected in body, spirit, and mind, forevermore.
“But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.”
Psalm 41:12-13 ESV
Rich Forbes