I always thought the prayer, “Lord, please be with the hands of the doctors…” was a strange prayer. We are asking for God to intervene without having to ask Him to do it all himself. It’s like saying, “God if you have time could you help this person?” We are asking for the doctors to be an intermediary of God’s power. If we think God can work through the doctors wouldn’t it also make sense to think He could also just do it without the doctors as well? Do we pray as if we are imposing on God? Or do we approach the throne of grace with confidence? Are we praying too small?
One of our church members is a cardiologist. He mentioned Wednesday night that he never prays that God will help him do a good job. He said that he can do a beautiful, perfect job and the patient not survive the operation. His hands did all they could do but it didn’t help the patient. Other times the job might not be done ideally and the patient survives. His prayer before such an operation is for the well being of the patient and for God to give them health, not for his skill. My father in law is a chiropractor and he made the point a few months ago that he doesn’t heal anything. He aligns things so that the body can heal itself. It is only by God’s grace that he gave us bodies that are able to do that. Surgeons can do their best and chiropractors can give their best shot but ultimately God is the one who has to make the difference.
Do we pray too small?
When Jesus, Peter, James, and John came down from the mountain after the transfigurations they found a crowd had gathered and the nine were arguing with the teachers of the law. The center of the dispute was a child who had an evil spirit. The disciples had been trying to cast it out but they had not succeeded. The man brings his son before Jesus. The boy falls at his feet and goes into convulsions. You would expect Jesus to immediately heal him but instead he asks the father, “How long has he been like this?” The man tentatively requests healing for his son. He uses the word “If” – “Jesus, if you can heal him…” Jesus points to the need for faith. In one of the most honest moments in scripture the boy’s father replies, “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.” Jesus commands the spirit out of the boy. The spirit obeys. Jesus later tells his disciples they couldn’t do it because they had not been praying as they should. What should those disciples have prayed for, “God be with my hands so I can touch this person and cast out this demon.” No. They should have prayed, “God, remove the demon from this child.” They either hadn’t been praying at all or had been praying for the wrong things. Maybe they were praying too small.
How can we challenge ourselves to pray prayers that are big enough? How can our prayers reflect a recognition that God has time to hear our prayers, that he cares about our concerns, and that he is powerful enough to take care of it?
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Wonderful post Matt.
I believe alot of times we pray to small.
Instead of “Be with the hands of the doctors..” Why not God in the name of Jesus “Heal.”
I think we don’t delare alot of the the promises of God because we do not ask, think God is too busy for our problems, or we get tired of asking. I have learned over the year of health problems no prayer is too small. God is God. “He can do more an all we ask or imagine!”
Check out my lastest post at CFM blog. A doctor’s prayer brought a man back to life.
Doctor brings man back to life with prayer.
https://churchformenflorida.blogspot.com/
It is amazing what God can do.
Prayer is powerful.
God does still act through us in prayer.
Do we trust Him enough to act?
I hope.
I know over the last 18 months I have seen God act through prayer in my life. It was through the laying on of hands and prayer. Prayer though many bloggers that I don’t even know. God acted and worked on my life. I am thankful for the many churches, bloggers, ministers, friends, family and wonderful doctors who have prayed for me. I am feeling it. I am feeling God healing and working through my life. I am thankful for Chrisitans who have not prayed for simple things in my life but have see God as someone who could do the impossible! Matt, thank you brother for your prayers and seeing God as doing all that we can ask or imagine! I pray that God will pour his riches blessings on your life (every aspect) and ministry. We need to understand that His Holy Spirit is working through us. For by it we can BOLDLY APPROACH THE THRONE OF GRACE! (SAYS THE WRITER OF HEBREWS). Bodly. With complete trust and dependance on God. God. The creator of heaven and earth chooses to commune with us and have that wonderful relationship so one that day we can know Jesus and enter the kingdom. I am so thankful for God in my life. Thank you Matt for this great topic brother.
Keep up the great blogging!
Preacherman,
As always, you are a big encouragement to many. That is a real gift you have and there is a big need for you to keep it up. Thanks also for continuing to share your story. It is a powerful one.
Mike,
Thanks for mentioning that. That is an interesting story.
Jesus can do more than we can even ask or imagine. I think we often need to lift our expectations. We are to pray that His Kingdom Come and His will be done on earth as it already is in heaven! With God, all things are possible!
I am touching my son’s pilonidal cyst that the world would say needs surgery. Tonight! I ask God in His Son’s name, Yeshua!, to heal this. Not “if,” but to heal! What if God doesn’t heal it? He doesn’t always give us what we ask. Do I believe He will? How are we supposed to be that confidant, and have God, in turn, not heal? How can I possibly pray wrong??? So I ask the Spirit to speak for me. Father? IN Yeshua…heal.
Should I contemplate rhe surgeon, that I will need him? Then on that day I shall take his hands, annointing them and also God to move them in precision and to clear his mind for clarity. And also, open his eyes to see all that needs to be seen. BE the surgeon!
Am I doubting God CAN heal? NO WAY!! I must think that maybe God WONT. for His own reasons. I can’t imagine asking God to heal my son; and not grant me this prayer request to aliviate my own son from needless suffering. God can heal. But ultimately, it’s His decision to do it or not. Why do we complicate Hod?