Light a lamp of healing

I used to be one of those who sought after the front-row parking, often circling the lot until a space became available. I had no ailment requiring accessible entrance into the store other than a desire to complete the task before me. Nonetheless, I found a time when illness had me searching for a favored spot. At that moment, I prayed, “Lord, when I am strong again, remind me of the beauty of the back row.”
Honestly, there is beauty in the back row. First, I can always find a parking spot away from the store. Second, the further away I am, the more steps I can add to my day. It is all about cardio and exercise. It allows me to clear my thoughts, and often, I see friends or family as I walk toward the store. However, the greatest reward is to be well and to have the ability to take those extra steps that so many people struggle to make.
The thing about struggling is that often, people do so in silence. Many illnesses are invisible to the human eye. For example, a person with a weakened heart might look young and vital, yet their body needs to rest more regularly. It is the same with respiratory or blood conditions; you might never know they suffer unless told. Our eyes cannot always see autism or a seizure condition; even so, they do exist. Frequently, a person will be affected silently with a mental disorder where thoughts run rampant; often, they self-medicate, trying to calm their spirit.
In this season of Thanksgiving, those of us with good health have much to be thankful for. Equally so, we have a task laid before us. We are called to bring those who need healing to the Lord, though we may never know the private battle some people face. One of the easiest-to-remember, most significant power-provoking scriptures of the Bible is “Brother and sisters, pray for us” (1 Thessalonians 5:25 NIV). Some situations may be blinded to our eyes, and we do not know how to pray. Still, when we pray to the Father, the Holy Spirit will lead us with wordless groanings (Romans 8:26-27).
There is a calling on the life of every believer to bring the hurting before the throne of God. Scripture teaches of a time when a blind beggar cried for mercy from the side of the road. When the crowds tried to silence the man, Jesus silenced the crowd, asking for the man to be brought forward. Jesus showed mercy, restoring the blind man’s sight. (Luke 18:35-42).
Prayer is a privilege that requires nothing more than faith and compassion. God desires to heal the broken-hearted and the wounded (Psalms 147:3). A beautiful phenomenon happens when we pray for others. It causes the light of God to shine within our own lives. If you light a lamp for someone else, it will also brighten your path (Buddha).
Light your lamp of prayer today. Pray for protection for those who drive the cars you walk past. As you travel, pray for peace within the homes, for people experiencing homelessness on the side of the road, and for each other. Pray without ceasing; shine brightly on the path of another. Illuminate your world with God’s healing grace.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Cheryl Mixon-Cruce is Pastor of Ochlockonee Bay United Methodist Church and Sopchoppy United Methodist Church.