In today's verse I had the privilege of reading James 5:13-20, which has been such a blessing upon my life. In today's post I'd like to share my connection with this verse and also unpack some of the theological truth in these beautiful words.
Let's read God's word together...
Praise & Prayer: Pray, Pray, Pray!
James 5:13-20 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Prayer of Faith
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.[b] 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
The Book of James with Francis Chan
Today's devotional is my last in a 12 day series walking through the book of James. The teachings are powerful, convicting and encouraging, and I recommend you check it out for yourself. Search plans, in your Bible app, and it is called "The Book of James with Francis Chan: A 12-Day Video Bible Study".
Today's passage brings me back to a time before my second daughter was born, while we feared for her health and life.
In that time, friends brought the book of James to us: Are any of you suffering? Pray. Are you cheerful? Praise! No matter what challenges or blessings God reigns down, lift your heart and mind to God, because He hears, answers and loves you.
God works miracles even today, PRAY!
In January 2016 we met our little Lumina Jubilee, and God let her cry and breath and be... just as He always intended. Before that day, we were told by medical professionals that she would likely die minutes after she was born, and if not, that her life would be miserable, painful and awful.
Before Lumina came, in the face of these fearful diagnoses, we prayed. We called to God's church and asked for the Lord's people to raise up our child, and my wife, to God's healing hands, and praise God, the Lord answered our prayers.
Three years later our beautiful Lumina lives, shines and teaches all who meet her. God's hand is over all things, so stand gratefully and humbly in receipt of all the blessings and challenges He places in our lives.
Pray, Pray, Pray!
"Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently..." (James 5:17) and the rains stopped, until he petitioned the Lord to let it fall once again.
This is our tale, the lords of this world, said our child was destined for death, suffering and void, but God had a different plan. God brought His people into our lives before Lumina's diagnosis, and then as we learned and feared Lumina's health and possible death those servants of God worked in our lives, as God always intended.
Our friends, family and loved ones prayed over Lumina and Angela, like Elijah before them, and God answered those petitions, bringing life and joy to my family, and my child. God answered our prayers as He answered Elijah before, bringing his "rain" of life, as He saw fit.
God works miracles even today, please believe this.
He is a loving God and Father, and He hears our requests. What's more He is for us, and desires our greatest good. Lift up your prayers as the book of James says, as Elijah did. Faithfully and humbly come before your Lord and share your desire... He can, and does work miracles even today.
We pray as Jesus prayed and suffer as Jesus suffered
This does not mean that God's people can pray away all loss, death and suffering, that is NOT a biblical belief.
Jesus suffered, and despite his prayers in the garden of Gethsemane, God did not alleviate Jesus' trials. Suffering is part of what it means to live as a follower of Christ. Yet, we who suffer can take heed in these verses from James. When we pray, no matter what His answer is, He is not absent, He is not unaware of our difficulty.
As the book of Daniel says, if we are destined for tribulation, take heart because Christ himself stands with us in the fire.
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