Apr 28 2009
One Touch
I am sure you would agree that there is just nothing like waiting for the phone to ring. You’re waiting for someone to call you back, you’re waiting for that special person to call and ask you out on a date, you’re waiting for the doctor’s office to call with results…the scenarios are endless. Like it or not, many of us put our lives on hold during those times and just sit near the phone. We wonder what the news will be and what will be said.
As many of you may know, my wife, Mickie, finished her chemotherapy and she recently had a follow-up CAT scan to check the status of the cancer. We had to wait a week for the results and then I had to wait for her to call me with the news. She was supposed to call me around Noon her time in Doha, which would be 4 a.m. here in Georgia.
On the designated day, at the appointed time, I began praying at 4 a.m. Yes, that is somewhat early in the morning for me, but it was a big day finding out if my wife was going to be okay or not. At exactly 4:30 a.m. the phone rang and my heart skipped a few beats. I paused before picking up the phone and said, “All right, Lord, whatever the results we’re going to be able to face it.” I answered the phone anticipating Mickie’s voice and it was some guy from the Rotary Club wanting to know if I was going to be there or not!
I just laughed and thought, “God you are so good!” At about 5 a.m. the phone rang again and this time it was Mickie. She gave me the best news I have ever heard. The CAT scan was clear and we are praising the Lord!
If you have been praying for a physical healing for what seems like forever, let me encourage you to not give up. Press in closer to Christ and persistently pray until God answers, even if that answer is no. We have a powerful example in Luke 8:43-44 (NKJV) of a woman who refused to give up hope, even after 12 agonizing years of battling a blood disorder. We read:
“Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.”
Despite the multitude of people who surrounded the Messiah, this woman managed to push her way through the crowd, knowing that she likely wouldn’t be able to actually speak with Jesus or even touch him personally. She had enough faith to know that all she had to do was merely touch the hem of Christ’s garment and healing would take place.
How about you? How persistent are you when you need a healing touch from the Master? Do you pray one time, wait a few weeks, or perhaps a couple of months, and then give up? Is your healing important enough to spend additional time in prayer, extra time reading God’s Word and more time pursuing Christ until either He gives you an answer or you experience a healing?