I have a beautiful beach where I live. My question is, since I can’t count each grain of sand, does that beach stop existing? I realize that some would say that is a pedestrian argument and of course it exists because we can see it.
I can not see someone’s headache so does that mean that it does not exist? Of course it does because they are in pain.
I can’t “see” God healing others so does that mean He isn’t?
Here is how I see it:
We seek simplicity to describe everything. We seek answers we do not comprehend to explain fact. We study doctrine to explain all. We only realize misunderstanding through damage. We have whole faith in answers written somewhere. We build on the mistakes of our predecessors and feel the answer is now found, much like our predecessors claimed.
This view I am describing is the worldly view of some non believers and how surprising is it that it sounds identical to the ideas some people have of faith. So therefore, are we not all chasing unicorns?
The idea of praying for those who are ill is ridiculous in the eyes of some. To reach into your heart and to trust god is akin to holding your breath while drowning. Good start but pointless in the end.
They say, “God can’t heal.” But I say, “Really?”
Is awareness not healing?
Is His work on my tendency to envy not healing?
Is my realization that I am not the superiority not healing?
Is empathy and love for those who suffer not healing?
Is the fact that he took me, as I was, reached in and opened my eyes to my gifts and released in me an idea that my needs are not paramount, no healing there? He heals.
Just a thought. Your thoughts?
[...] Here is a wonderful blog response from this mornings service… http://poeticindifference.wordpress.com/2012/08/26/quantity-in-the-unquantifiable/ [...]
Excellent post my friend. Examining healing in this context requires looking far beyond the surface. In church, we listen in prayer and praise time to many seeking prayer for a physical illness of some sort. That is what is on the surface and what is visible. I would argue that praying for the well-being of someone goes far beyond the physical ailments one has been inflicted with. Praying for the well-being of someone should be about the nurturing of the soul. We say God speaks clearly when we are grieving or through tragedy. We say that is when we are most open. It is because we have gone beyond the physical realm and are embracing matters of the mind, heart, and soul. As an add-on, I would also say that I do support praying for the relief from physical illnesses but that we are capable of so much more.
Thank you and beautifully said. The notion that person “A” has illness “X” and we pray for person “A” but they succumb to their illness and therefore God does not exist, bothers me. As you said healing can be in the physical, hearts, mind, and soul. Thank you for the comment, well said.