Last week was a difficult week. It was a mix of joy and heavy feelings of burden, with that, I found myself crying alot the whole week.
My other prayer partner from Indonesia, M shared with me that one of the older guys that we prayed for have recently passed away. I felt sad when I heard the news but I didn’t go to Lord to demand the reason. As He has already prepared me in advance why He allowed this guy to die.
Often there are reasons why people do not get healed, times when God allows the person to die, and times when He heals the person fully.
But I think the most important thing praying for others, is to focus on being that helping hand to bring full reconciliation between the person and God. Healing is not just to address physical ailments and diseases, but healing for a person includes the relationship he/she has with God and with others.
M was back in Singapore again last weekend, and this time it was for her aged Dad, Papa G, whose recent biopsy tests showed that he had a malignant tumor in his body. Before meeting her, she told me that Papa G was ready to go, being close to 90 years old, and all she needed was my support to pray for comfort for him and her family for his remaining days.
This was the first time that I would be praying for comfort for someone who was ready to leave. I respected Papa G’s decision and what M’s family wanted for him, but something deep down reminded me that there was something else better. But I reserved my comment during our phone conversation.
I first met Papa G was in Jakarta when I visited M’s Ministry. He sat on his wheelchair and all I remember of him was the stoic expression on his face, the only words we exchanged were, “Hello Uncle, nice to meet you.” And he acknowledged my greeting sternly with a nod. He never spoke a word during those bible study and prayer meetings either.
As I walked into the ward, the first person I saw was M’s mom whose face lighted up when she saw me. Just last week, she has been declared cancer-free. Her doctors were flabbergasted by the results and had to do the test more than once to confirm, and when they couldn’t see any cancer-markers from the results of the test, they pronounced that it was indeed a miracle.
The first time M and I prayed for her healing, the biopsy tests showed that the tumor shrunk significantly, then after the second time we prayed for her in Nov 2014, she followed up with another test in late December and was told the good news of being free from Cancer.
So after hearing that good news, going into that hospital ward to pray for someone’s comfort before he is to die didn’t seem to be something the Lord wanted me to do.
Nevertheless, after M played a worship song on her iPad, I started with a short prayer for Papa G and her family. It was a prayed for comfort, rather than healing, so I kept it really short, then M read out some verses from the book of Psalms and asked me if I had any specific verses to share. I answered No.
When she finished reading the verses from Psalms, I pulled her to the side and said, “Somehow, turning through the pages of the Bible today, I am seeing healing verses one after another. I don’t think it is God’s will for Papa G to leave sick and in pain, I think I should pray for healing for him.” She looked at me smiled and replied, “I had the same thought since last night, but I wasn’t sure about it. But I think what you have shared confirmed what we need to do for Papa G.”
I knelt down next to Papa G’s right side, held on his hearing aid and told him that I am going to pray for healing for him, so even if he wants to leave, he will be happy, healthy and comfortable for his remaining days and months ahead. As I laid my hands on his head, I felt an overwhelming sense of love and compassion for him.
Why would I be feeling like that for someone I hardly knew?
I knew that feeling that flowed through me to him was from God. The feeling was of immense love and compassion for Papa G, and a desire for him to be healed. At this time, I was totally oblivious to everyone else apart from the person on the hospital bed.
I felt God’s peace and presence in the room, which was extremely comforting and reassuring, that whatever fear and negativity that was initially there, could not exist in that same space. I asked him, “Papa G, do you feel the love of Jesus?” He nodded, smiled and had tears in his eyes. I then prayed for healing and reconciliation over Papa G.
When we finished praying for Papa G, M remarked, “I could feel a strong breeze blowing from your direction when you were praying.” and M’s sister exclaimed, “Thank you for praying for Papa G, it was really beautiful.”
Warm hugs were shared with M and her sisters after our prayer for Papa G and I made sure I gave a big long hug to M’s mother, and I whispered to her, “See, I told you that you are going to be strong and healthy.”
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Later that same week, I visited NUH Oncology ward again with Pauline, to pray for a friend’s teenage child who is undergoing chemotherapy for a rare cancer.
In the same children’s ward, I saw 2 bald children seated forlonly on their beds, and next to my friend’s child, a 9 year old, who was just diagnosed with cancer early that week. His grandmother smiled sadly at me when I entered the ward.
On the drive back home, my eyes were stinging badly.
So many thoughts were running through my mind. How I wanted to be able to pray for these other children, but I couldn’t. Which mother or parent would allow some strangers to lay hands to pray for their child for healing?
God, send this hope to others for their child to be healed by You and be able to experience Your immense love for them! Please Lord, send out more Christians who will do this too, so that they can be that extension of your hand of healing and your love!
The need is great, but the laborers are few.
This scene of seeing these other children in the hospital word replayed in my mind countless times the next few days after that, and I found myself crying each time I went to the Lord in prayer.
This burden I have to pray for the sick has been given to me by God.
Again I reiterate, it is not me who can heal, I am just an ordinary woman. But it is God who works through a surrendered vessel. All is takes is someone who has willingly surrender their lives at His feet, persevere to continue seeking His face every day of their lives, abide in His will and He can use the prayers of that person to bring His healing to whoever He wills.
This burden hasn’t ceased in my heart and will continue to get heavier, as He opens more doors for us to pray, in the days ahead.
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If you have a sick child, or someone u know that has a sick child or a loved one, do drop either Pauline or me a private message in FB and we will pray for you or for your friend. We will gladly visit and pray for the person in the hospital, if needed.
OR, if you feel a tugging on your heart to be part of a ‘Prayer and Healing’ group, do drop me a mail and I will be glad to be able to help you along this journey, that God has called for you to be in.
Curious how this Prayer Ministry started? Read this post on what happened last year.
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