elysian
March 17th 2004, 12:23 PM
Lutherans believe that all healing comes from God although God does not always heal us in a charismatic "smack 'em on the forehead and they fall down healed" sort of way. "Faith healing" has gotten a negative image, and rightly so- as if God does parlor tricks on demand. It places the emphasis upon human faith (well...if you just have enough faith God will heal you?...) instead of God's glory. This doesn't mean there is no such thing as miraculous healing, but that healing is performed on God's terms and in God's way, to His greater glory. Healing may or may not include healing of physical illness or infirmity. Sometimes healing means that we are given sufficient grace to live through and with an illness or infirmity as it did for Paul:
"And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness (preeminence) of these revelations, there was given me a thorn (a splinter) in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted. Three times I called upon the Lord and besought [Him] about this and begged that it might depart from me; But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength)." 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (AMP)
Sometimes it is to God's glory that we are healed- made whole and complete in a broader sense- through trials and in being "refined by fire." Those of us who have children understand that even though we love our children and we suffer with them when they go through difficulty, that the trials of life are necessary to develop their character. We can't memorize the multiplication tables for our children any more than we can resolve conflicts between our children and their friends. We know that a child who is simply handed all he needs without having to "pay his dues"- in taking responsibility for household chores, etc.- turns into a spoiled brat. We know that we only learn empathy and develop a heart of compassion when we have suffered ourselves. God in His will for us does not promise us a pain-free life, but like the gardener who carefully tends a garden, He prunes the plants so they may bloom and be fruitful. He is equipping and transforming us both for our purpose in this life and for the purpose He has for us in the next.
One important part of this is that God does not allow us to be tested or challenged over and above the grace He has given us to endure:
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
Part of the healing ritual Lutherans can observe (not all individual churches choose to do this but my church does) is very close to the Roman Catholic sacrament of Extreme Unction or Anointing of the Sick (commonly known as "last rites".) We provide the opportunity (usually three or four times a year) for anyone who needs healing (be it physical, emotional or spiritual) to come forward to be anointed with oil and we pray a simple prayer, such as:
"Father God, we ask that You send Your Holy Spirit to bring healing, health and wholeness to Your son/daughter here. We pray that Your will would be done and that he/she will find perfect peace and rest in You. We pray this in the name of Your Son, Jesus,"
as we anoint the person on the forehead in the sign of the Cross with oil.
I've been both the anointer and the anointed in this ritual and it is a most powerful sign of God's mercy and love and healing power. No I've not been healed of my physical infirmities (and I'm not about to stop taking my blood pressure meds anytime soon, unless it's under doctor's orders) but healing is more than restoring physical health- it is about God's grace and knowing that even "in the valley of the shadow" (Psalm 23:4) and even in the midst of suffering or uncertainty He is present, and that His will is ultimately good even when we don't understand.
We also anoint with oil at Baptism, making the sign of the Cross (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) on the person's head after they have been immersed or have had water poured over their heads. Lutherans have some choices as far as Baptism. Our senior pastor used to serve at an inner-city church in which many people were new to Christianity altogether and had never been baptized. He got permission to baptize people (adult converts) by immersion in a city fountain! What a beautiful witness (though in today's PC climate I doubt if it would be permitted) to the community. Our "normal" tradition is to baptize infants in a font (pouring water over the child's head) but we have also had immersion baptisms at the man-made beach on the reservoir in the park.
"And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness (preeminence) of these revelations, there was given me a thorn (a splinter) in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted. Three times I called upon the Lord and besought [Him] about this and begged that it might depart from me; But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength)." 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (AMP)
Sometimes it is to God's glory that we are healed- made whole and complete in a broader sense- through trials and in being "refined by fire." Those of us who have children understand that even though we love our children and we suffer with them when they go through difficulty, that the trials of life are necessary to develop their character. We can't memorize the multiplication tables for our children any more than we can resolve conflicts between our children and their friends. We know that a child who is simply handed all he needs without having to "pay his dues"- in taking responsibility for household chores, etc.- turns into a spoiled brat. We know that we only learn empathy and develop a heart of compassion when we have suffered ourselves. God in His will for us does not promise us a pain-free life, but like the gardener who carefully tends a garden, He prunes the plants so they may bloom and be fruitful. He is equipping and transforming us both for our purpose in this life and for the purpose He has for us in the next.
One important part of this is that God does not allow us to be tested or challenged over and above the grace He has given us to endure:
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
Part of the healing ritual Lutherans can observe (not all individual churches choose to do this but my church does) is very close to the Roman Catholic sacrament of Extreme Unction or Anointing of the Sick (commonly known as "last rites".) We provide the opportunity (usually three or four times a year) for anyone who needs healing (be it physical, emotional or spiritual) to come forward to be anointed with oil and we pray a simple prayer, such as:
"Father God, we ask that You send Your Holy Spirit to bring healing, health and wholeness to Your son/daughter here. We pray that Your will would be done and that he/she will find perfect peace and rest in You. We pray this in the name of Your Son, Jesus,"
as we anoint the person on the forehead in the sign of the Cross with oil.
I've been both the anointer and the anointed in this ritual and it is a most powerful sign of God's mercy and love and healing power. No I've not been healed of my physical infirmities (and I'm not about to stop taking my blood pressure meds anytime soon, unless it's under doctor's orders) but healing is more than restoring physical health- it is about God's grace and knowing that even "in the valley of the shadow" (Psalm 23:4) and even in the midst of suffering or uncertainty He is present, and that His will is ultimately good even when we don't understand.
We also anoint with oil at Baptism, making the sign of the Cross (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) on the person's head after they have been immersed or have had water poured over their heads. Lutherans have some choices as far as Baptism. Our senior pastor used to serve at an inner-city church in which many people were new to Christianity altogether and had never been baptized. He got permission to baptize people (adult converts) by immersion in a city fountain! What a beautiful witness (though in today's PC climate I doubt if it would be permitted) to the community. Our "normal" tradition is to baptize infants in a font (pouring water over the child's head) but we have also had immersion baptisms at the man-made beach on the reservoir in the park.