Devotional Day 29
Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? The he must call the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.
James 5:13-16
“then he must pray”
In any circumstance, with any emotions, our first response needs to be sharing the situation with Jesus. In the tough times, prayer is not intended to avoid, ignore, or solve all the problems; it’s about turning to Jesus. Obviously, He already knows what is going on; praying is for our own benefit, helping us know that we are not alone, share our emotions, and receive His comfort.
We’ve already seen that prayer isn’t a quick, “erase all suffering” goal, because suffering itself can contribute to our own growth and maturation. But to reach that maturation, to develop steadfastness, we must be learning to depend on Jesus, turning immediately to Him instead of leaving prayer to Him as the last resort, after all other attempts at coping or overcoming the struggle have fallen short. Prayer needs to be step number ONE.
“sing praises”
We also want Jesus to be a central component of all joyful parts of our lives. Relationships are intimate and valuable when sharing both pain and joy. Who looks forward to hearing from a “friend” who only calls when in need of case, or asking for a favor, or just wanting a place to complain? In the same way, God should be seen as more than the benefactor in times of need. He is the ultimate source of all that is good, yet often we forget to give Him the credit, failing to express our appreciation and give Him the glory, both in our personal interaction with Him, and as a testimony to others. Sing His praises! Our prayers can be both intimate and corporate.
“call the elders of the church“
It is interesting that we are told to share our sicknesses openly, immediately asking for elders to come and pray, allowing them to actively respond to our needs. The reality is that many of us might feel uncomfortable, perhaps exposed, to publicly announce our sickness. It’s one thing to ask a close friend for prayer, another to invite church elders to come over!
Even more vulnerability is required when we realize that there is sin involved, perhaps even part of the cause of sickness. Such transparency is only possible within a safe community, where one is not afraid of judgmental remarks being made. This community is where we all know that we have shortcomings and are ready to both give and receive grace.
“the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick“
When I read these verses, I confess that part of me feels uncomfortable, remembering a season when I was sick (dealing with a brain tumor), asked for and received prayer multiple times, and was not (immediately) healed. In one church I got the message that maybe I didn’t have enough faith; maybe there was sin in my life that I had failed to confess. Maybe it was my fault. These messages brought more pain and internal upheaval than healing. Does it sound like what Job experienced with his friends?
But when I see the passage stating that the “prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick,” I notice that it first demonstrates that the outcome doesn’t hinge on the faith of the sick person, but on the ones praying. The faith and humility of the sick person has already been demonstrated by the request for prayer and, when needed, the confession of any sins that might be part of the picture. In some cases, this might be direct consequences: confession playing a key role in “treating” a sickness. When struggling with addictions we need help on physical, emotional, spiritual, relational, and practical levels, all components that community members can help address. We can’t overcome that kind of sin and sickness alone.
There is plenty of evidence that other forms of “sin,” whether doing damage to our relationships or to ourselves, are directly related to the physical body. Unhealthy relationships increase the risk of heart disease, chronic illnesses, and numerous other conditions. So, assessing root causes is key for healing on multiple levels, and generally requires loving support from people we trust.
“you may be healed“
It still remains unclear why not everyone who receives prayer for sickness experiences immediate, miraculous physical healing. Is it the elders’ lack of faith? Poor execution of oil anointing? Remaining sin? While those questions are natural reactions to the disappointment when healing doesn’t come, it seems we get caught up in assessing only one piece of healing—the physical component.
I think of the paralytic and his close friends who brought him to Jesus. The first miracle was in Jesus’ statement, “Your sins are forgiven.” The man’s heart and conscience were healed. After the Pharisees grumbled about the significance of that declaration, Jesus added, “Get up and walk.” The physical healing gave a more concrete outcome visible to their unbelieving hearts. But which healing was more significant?
The most significant healing and restoration comes with freedom from sin, emotional renewal, and relational reconciliation. Sometimes it takes a lot more than one prayer session, but I have witnessed Jesus bring healing in beautiful ways, miraculous transformations apart from physical change. Sometimes the physical suffering remains, but becomes a place of growing in steadfastness, a reason to rejoice (remember chapter 1?). Other times, inner healing brought not only emotional and spiritual restoration, but had direct positive effects on the body, even when that was not specifically requested.
Our bodies are temporary, though still valuable. The well-being of the heart and soul matters on an eternal scale. Perhaps that should influence our priorities, where we pay the highest attention. The healing of the soul is beyond what doctors and science can understand and treat. But God transforms the humble, repentant heart, and allows us to participate in each other’s lives in the process. Physical healing may be part of the outcome, but not the decisive factor.
Listening Prayer
One of the beautiful things about El Camino was the time and the space to pray. While we had plenty of good conversations with people around us, there were also long stretches of walking quietly. For me this was partly when I was meditating on the verses in James, repeating the phrases, asking God what they meant or how they were significant for us today. There were some sections, particularly on the “Route of Stone and Water” that I purposely made it a conversation with Jesus while walking through the forest. It was a more personal, intimate form of prayer that I value highly, and see the need to retain as part of my daily quiet time. Prayer is not just talking to God, but also listening, hearing, and enjoying His presence.
Receiving Blessings
There were a number of times when we had the opportunity to participate in corporate prayer. While I am not part of the Catholic tradition, my Anglican background made attending Mass feel rather familiar. The environment was particularly poignant when it was specifically for pilgrims. Here we were in dusty boots and one of the few pieces of clothing we had with us (no Sunday morning dress!), participating in worship and receiving a blessing, sometimes in multiple languages. At the Mosteiro de Armenteira they had copies of the “Blessing for the Pilgrim” in multiple languages. In English it read:
May the light and love of God bless and direct your steps.
May the roads rise up to meet you.
May you open your heart to silence. And keep with gratitude the joyous remembrance of the good things that you have encountered.
May God carry you in his hands to the arms of St. James in Santiago.
And may you go back to your home full of light and joy.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
I think accepting a blessing is an act of worship. Perhaps that is part of the reason to not only pray, but also to ask others to pray for us. We can place ourselves in a position of humble gratitude, in faith that God will fulfill His promises to care for and direct us. On our life-long pilgrimage we are invited to discover the light and love of God, and to share that light and joy with others.
Prayer
Thank You, Lord, that You welcome all forms of conversations. You share our joys and our sorrows, receiving our praise and giving us blessings. Thank You for being the Healer, restoring not just for our bodies, but for our hearts, minds, and souls. We come before You in brokenness, confessing our sins and receiving Your grace. Draw us closer to Yourself as we spend time in Your presence.
Reflective Response
- Think of the word “prayer.” What does it mean to you? What does it look like in your daily life? In your church?
- We are invited to pray by expressing sorrow, singing praise, interceding, repenting, receiving healing, listening, and accepting blessing (among other things). Which of these is most frequently missing in your own prayers?
- Choose one component of prayer that you rarely practice. Spend time with Jesus, incorporating those areas in need of practice. The more often you do it, the more natural it will feel.
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