Healing

It's late, but I want to get this off my heart. I want to ask you to praise God with me, and share this at the same time, as it excites me that God is at work, even through me. This past week the creeping crud has gone through our boys. It's affected each one differently, (Is that the right way to use affected?) but they've definitely all been sick. Thankfully, Shari and I haven't got it. So, last night I finally decided to do what I've been thinking about and wanting to do for some time now. I broke out the annointing oil, which I received at our last Core Training, and annointed Matthew with it and prayed, just like we're taught to in the Bible. I figure, not only am I an elder in my church, but I'm a priest in my home. Of all our boys, he was over it the fastest, waking up the next morning having only had it for less than 48 hours. Praise God, He is at work, even through me.

Why do we hesitate to obey God? Why do we hesitate to take Him at His Word? I'm not sure.

Of course, the other questions still abound. Why doesn't He do this all the time? Why did it need oil, when there are other places and examples of people just praying, or even walking past sick people. I don't know. I can probably find theological reasons for it, but, like I told students last month during one of my talks, we really don't know. God is God.

All I know is I was obedient to what I believe God prompted me to do, and He honored it. I praise Him for it. Now Matthew's healed. Michael still has a nasty cough. So (I think I was prompted by God to do this) I annointed him with oil, too. It's not a magic formula. God's got to be in it. But if He is, then the battle is won through obedience. I'm praying He is. It's a nasty cough, and I want my boys to know the power of God experientially, not just by faith, theory, or theology. Thank you for praying for us. Your prayers are appreciated.