The Compassion of God

by
Moses & Annette Price

Follow after love and desire spiritual gifts…. I Corinthians 14:1

            As church elders, we are to pray for the sick. We are to join our faith with the congregational members as they believe God for their healing.

 Is any sick among you?  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 shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.  (James 5:14-15)

             A person’s healing can manifest in various ways.  It can come through anointing with oil and the prayer of faith (James 5:14-15), the gifts of healing and working of miracles (I Corinthians 12:9-10), speaking to the mountain of illness and disease (St. Mark 11:22-23), laying hands on the sick (St. Mark 16:15-18), speaking the Word of God, changing our diet, exercising, medication, surgery or, a combination of any of these. 

            Recently, my husband and I took my mother to the doctor for an appointment.  The following are the thoughts that he shared with me as we waited for her.  I thought that it would be good to share them with the readers of this blog. My prayer is that you will be enlightened, encouraged and edified as you read this excerpt.

"As we set and waited for mom to finish with the doctor, I observed people coming and going from the medical building.  Some walked very slowly. Others walked with assistance from family or friends.  Some were in wheelchairs. One person was even brought in by ambulance.

            But, it was their facial expressions that captured my attention.  I saw tiredness and sadness.  It was not the normal tiredness or sadness that I saw.  It was as if those I was observing had grown weary of fighting whatever disease they were afflicted with. Or, perhaps it was the weariness from the treatment that had exhausted them and drained them of their energy and strength.  Either way, tiredness and weariness was present on their faces.

            My heart was moved with the compassion of God as I sat and watched the people come and go.  I wanted to help them.  I wanted to pray with them. I wanted to ask them if they were aware of any dietary changes that could help strengthen their bodies, giving them the physical energy to continue on in the fight.  I wanted to encourage them to pray and ask God for peace of mind.  But, most of all, I wanted each of them to be whole, disease free and enjoying life. 

            I do not know any of their names.  Chances are I will never see them again. However, the compassion of God moved me to pray for them.  God knows each of their names and their addresses.  He knows what disease or illness that has afflicted each of them.  He knows what would help manifest their healing, causing them to be made whole and disease free."

            As my husband shared his thoughts with me, I could see the effect God’s compassion was having on him.  It was so strong in him that tears were in his eyes as he recounted his experience.

            I had to judge myself.  Was I allowing God’s compassion to move on me to help others, to pray for others, to let God supply their needs through me?  Or, was I so focused on myself that my bowels of compassion needed a laxative, meaning that I needed the Holy Spirit to again reveal the love of God to me? I do know one thing, I want God’s love to move me.  I want Him to use me to manifest Himself to others so that they can know His goodness and His mercy in an even greater way.

            I have decided to follow after love, to be moved by His compassion.  At the end of that flow of love will be God.

Elder Price’s Prayer:

Father God, in the Name of Jesus, I ask that You would manifest each of their healings, from the top of their heads to the soles of their feet.  I pray for them to have peace of mind and peace in their families.  I pray that You would grant any and all medical personnel who have anything to do with their treatment the wisdom to treat them expertly and precisely, in the Name of Jesus.  Amen.