13. Day-by-Day Praise

v. Personal - 'Flu

I think I must have the 'flu.

A mild sore throat.

Cold hands, cold feet, and a bit achy.

There's quite a lot around just now.

I'm not hot and sweaty like some people have been,

But I guess I've been a bit tired.

Did you ever get the 'flu, Lord?

I can't think of anything in the Scriptures

that helps answer that question.

We know that you got hungry,1 and tired,2

But as the Lamb of God,3

I sense that you were otherwise perfect.

I took a couple of Panadols tonight.

My feet and hands warmed up in an hour or so

I feel OK, but it won't last.

Doctors treat, but you heal.

No medical history, examination, tests, pills.

How do you do it, Lord?

"My son. One day I'll show you.

I hold millions of stars in one hand,

And millions of molecules in the other.

What's the problem?"

1. Matthew 4: 2

2. Matthew 8: 24

3. John 1: 29

This prayer was one of the earliest in which I sensed a direct response from the Lord, and in which his words flowed freely. As a doctor, I had been asked to preach on the topic of healing. It seemed natural to me to take the theme Doctors Treat, But God Heals. I began with the story of Jesus healing the blind man (Mark 8: 22-26). At the first touch, his eyes worked and he could see, but he saw men as trees walking. So our Lord touched him again, and he knew what he was looking at. The second touch was to his brain so that he received a lifetime of understanding. I explained that when a baby sees a car go past, they see a blur with no recognition. He or she may sense that colour is different, but is certainly not able to name the colour let alone specify the shade. By contrast you and I see the car in detail, can name its brand, and probably year of manufacture. We will get the colour shading right - often by brand name, and may well know other specifications such as engine capacity. These things require experience and learning, which are linked to the visual centres at the back of the brain. When Jesus healed the blind man, a lifetime of visual experience was inserted into his occipital cortex with one touch.

The second point was that our Lord did not need to take a clinical history, do a physical examination, seek laboratory tests, or administer medication - and healing was instantaneous. I have often wondered and marveled about this. But healing also needs to be linked with wellness. You and I remain well despite being exposed daily to infection, carcinogens, and other noxious stimuli in the environment. Our bodies contain an army of policeman molecules, all put there by God to keep us well. It is only occasionally that one of these misses their task, so that we become ill, get cancer, or develop a degenerative illness. Is this how the Lord heals - by quickly restoring these regulatory molecules back to health? I don't know, but it's fun to wonder - and marvel.

Then, during the time of preparation of the sermon, I got the 'flu. It was going around and we're all human. Paracetamol (Panadol) and fluids were the order of the day, and between spells of modest fever, I put the above prayer to paper.

The words to me from our Lord ministered exactly to my need. They also seemed to come with a gentle rebuke. "It's OK to wonder and marvel about miracles, but don't explore too hard about how things happen. That will distract you from their purpose, which is to display the power of God, and authenticate the person of Jesus."

So I used the prayer in the service, and displayed it on the overhead screen. It seemed to have a similar effect on people in the congregation as it did to me. "Those words were more than you," they said, and I was very humbled.

Now some will say that these words, which I attribute to the Lord, were just an extrapolation of the thoughts that I was developing in preparation time. That may be, but it doesn't diminish their significance. Rather, it illustrates the point that God as the Father, as our Lord Jesus, or as the Holy Spirit speaks to us in ideas that may sometimes take time to firm up. The blessing came as I worked to put formal words to the ideas that I had been given. To many preachers, this comes during sermon preparation time. To others, it comes spontaneously in the midst of a caring conversation. To me, the blessing has been to try and put words to the deep thoughts from the Lord during my times of devotion.

Blessings to you, as you try and do this too.

Copyright Howard Smith 2002. All Rights reserved.

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