"Why Doesn't God cure everyone who prays fervently for healing?"
The life context of this question is all too familiar. The issue arises in our darkest hours-in the hospital ward, the doctor's office, when the unfavorable test results return. Our need often arises unexpectedly and then consumes us.
Embedded in the question are two key assumptions. First, that ours is a God of miracles, including healing. A quick evaluation of scripture attests that miracles display God's power, arouse wonder and function as a sign to confirm his message. The second assumption is that believers are instructed to pray fervently. The Thessalonians are commended to "pray continually" because habitual prayers express dependence on God. And positioned as little children, we anticipate "good gifts" from our heavenly Father. Yet three additional points are critical.
First, God does not always respond to our desires, and He frequently allows circumstance we wish he would not. Theologically, we call this sovereignty. Inherent in our faith is the scriptural truth that God is in control. This includes events He directs and circumstances he allows. He has the power and responsibility to exercise His right over creation according to His will. Yet God repeatedly chooses to veil the ways in which he exercises those rights. Hence our requests will not always coincide with God's response. Peter understood this as it applied to suffering: "So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (1 Peter 4:19)
Second, our tendency is to doubt God's sovereignty in the midst of tumultuous times. Unfortunately when we doubt we presume to comprehend more than He does. Yes, from our vantage point we might think that God's miraculous intervention would produce waves of affirmation to His authority. Yet in his reply to the "rich man" Jesus said, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." (Luke 16:31) Instead, the nature of our faith is being "certain of what we do not see." While the world looks for proof in signs and wonders, we should never forget that "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." It is in this power that He asks us to trust Him.
Third, we must embrace the sufficiency of God's grace in all circumstances. In other words it is imperative that the God of the mountaintop also be the God of the valley. The apostle Paul requested three times to be healed of his "thorn in the flesh". The response from the Lord? "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness," (2 Corinthians 12:9) The sufficiency of God's grace is that we can endure suffering just as Jesus endured the cross!
Jesus endured for the "joy set before him" (Hebrews 12:2) and God's grace allows us to do the same. Our affliction is purposeful and passing, ad although we may not be able to understand it, we must cling to Go's goodness and follow the pattern of His Son.
So we are left with this: We do not know why God allows some to be healed and others not. We have all been touched by situations where God did not heal despite the faithful prayers of his people. The words of Alister McGrath in "Mystery of the Cross" are well posed, "Experience cannot be allowed to have the final word-it must be judged and shown up as deceptive and misleading. The theology of the cross draws our attention to the sheer unreliability of experience as a guide to the presence and activity of God. God is so active and present in the world, quite independently of whether we experience Him as being so. Experience declared that God was absent from Calvary, only to have its verdict humiliatingly overturned on the third day."
As with the cross, our darkest hour may be God's finest moment. It may be that He does His greatest work-albeit unseen to us-Thus instead of letting circumstances consume us, we are able to be consumed with God. To that end, we pray without ceasing, trust in His sovereignty and find comfort in His hope."
Mark Yarbrough, Dallas Seminary, Christianity Today, 2004
Without the hope of the Lord, I would not be able to stand. God's grace...lest anyone would think it is anything else...it is all grace.
Another friend recently sent me this song...(you should pause the music on the side before you listen)
I listened to it over and over tonight. So thankful to know that I never leave His Hands.
The life context of this question is all too familiar. The issue arises in our darkest hours-in the hospital ward, the doctor's office, when the unfavorable test results return. Our need often arises unexpectedly and then consumes us.
Embedded in the question are two key assumptions. First, that ours is a God of miracles, including healing. A quick evaluation of scripture attests that miracles display God's power, arouse wonder and function as a sign to confirm his message. The second assumption is that believers are instructed to pray fervently. The Thessalonians are commended to "pray continually" because habitual prayers express dependence on God. And positioned as little children, we anticipate "good gifts" from our heavenly Father. Yet three additional points are critical.
First, God does not always respond to our desires, and He frequently allows circumstance we wish he would not. Theologically, we call this sovereignty. Inherent in our faith is the scriptural truth that God is in control. This includes events He directs and circumstances he allows. He has the power and responsibility to exercise His right over creation according to His will. Yet God repeatedly chooses to veil the ways in which he exercises those rights. Hence our requests will not always coincide with God's response. Peter understood this as it applied to suffering: "So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (1 Peter 4:19)
Second, our tendency is to doubt God's sovereignty in the midst of tumultuous times. Unfortunately when we doubt we presume to comprehend more than He does. Yes, from our vantage point we might think that God's miraculous intervention would produce waves of affirmation to His authority. Yet in his reply to the "rich man" Jesus said, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." (Luke 16:31) Instead, the nature of our faith is being "certain of what we do not see." While the world looks for proof in signs and wonders, we should never forget that "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." It is in this power that He asks us to trust Him.
Third, we must embrace the sufficiency of God's grace in all circumstances. In other words it is imperative that the God of the mountaintop also be the God of the valley. The apostle Paul requested three times to be healed of his "thorn in the flesh". The response from the Lord? "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness," (2 Corinthians 12:9) The sufficiency of God's grace is that we can endure suffering just as Jesus endured the cross!
Jesus endured for the "joy set before him" (Hebrews 12:2) and God's grace allows us to do the same. Our affliction is purposeful and passing, ad although we may not be able to understand it, we must cling to Go's goodness and follow the pattern of His Son.
So we are left with this: We do not know why God allows some to be healed and others not. We have all been touched by situations where God did not heal despite the faithful prayers of his people. The words of Alister McGrath in "Mystery of the Cross" are well posed, "Experience cannot be allowed to have the final word-it must be judged and shown up as deceptive and misleading. The theology of the cross draws our attention to the sheer unreliability of experience as a guide to the presence and activity of God. God is so active and present in the world, quite independently of whether we experience Him as being so. Experience declared that God was absent from Calvary, only to have its verdict humiliatingly overturned on the third day."
As with the cross, our darkest hour may be God's finest moment. It may be that He does His greatest work-albeit unseen to us-Thus instead of letting circumstances consume us, we are able to be consumed with God. To that end, we pray without ceasing, trust in His sovereignty and find comfort in His hope."
Mark Yarbrough, Dallas Seminary, Christianity Today, 2004
Without the hope of the Lord, I would not be able to stand. God's grace...lest anyone would think it is anything else...it is all grace.
Another friend recently sent me this song...(you should pause the music on the side before you listen)
I listened to it over and over tonight. So thankful to know that I never leave His Hands.
2 comments:
WOW! What a beautiful and encouraging message from Mark! I feel that after reading this I have a better understanding of the sovereignty of God. I often question the purpose of prayer being that God is going to do what he wishes no matter what BUT now I understand that when you pray you are demonstrating your FAITH in God's power to bring you out of your affliction and although we may not understand our affliction we must embrace the sufficiency of God's grace in all circumstances. I love the fact that Mark stated that we can endure suffering just as Jesus endured the cross! In my worst affliction or those that I have witnessed for that matter, I can't even think of comparing them to the suffering of Jesus on the cross!! I am truly encouraged! Thank you Mark! I absolutely LOVE the song too. I played it twice! Thank you for sharing this wonderful post Jaci. I love you and continue to faithfully pray for your family. Nekiah
beatufiul. all of it. just beautiful.
Post a Comment