Day Four – My Glasses

As we grow older the imperfections of youth become the imperfections of adulthood.

My reading glasses are a reminder of the wonders of medicine and the caring professions which help us deal with those imperfections in both youth and older ages.

One of the often quoted reasons, given by those who maintain there is no God, is the illness in the world. Some claim that healing for one and not for all, as if in a random cruel way, is not the action of a loving God.

I do not understand why one should be healed and another die but I do believe that God sometimes answers prayer in this way. I also believe that in infirmity and death we can find peace and comfort in the presence of God. To give it a name we can find “wholeness” in all of the difficult situations of both life and death.

The wonders of modern medicine, in all of its facets, help us to cope with our health needs from “cradle to grave”.

There are so many people involved in caring for our health and well being and so we pray for them today.

Let us pray

Loving God, we thank you for the wonder of medical science.
We bring before you all who are involved in caring professions
those who care for our health and our well being.
We thankyou that you are a God who heals.
Sometimes physically, but always spiritually.
Lord, we pray that we may receive the wholeness of spirit you offer.

We pray for our National Health Service,
which is under such pressure at this time,
where daily decisions have to be taken on who to treat
and what medicines can be afforded.

We pray for other countries without adequate health care
or where access to healthcare depends on wealth.
We pray for a fair access to these facilities.

We pray for those charities which bring medical support
into places of poverty and disaster.
We think especially of the hospital in Segbwema, Sierra Leone
and its connection with our fellowship.
We pray for its work as Sierra Leone recovers from the Ebola epedemic.
We pray for The Friends of Nixon Memorial Hospital
as they support that recovery
both with their money and their skills as medical practitioners.

We pray for all who deal with mental health issues.
Those who provide counselling and listening ears,
For those whose profession it is and those who give their time freely.
We pray especially for the work of the Hatfield Counselling Service,
based in the Methodist Church at Birchwood.

We pray your blessing on each of us,
as we adapt to the limitations our age bring to us
may we continue to draw comfort, through your healing presence,
which restores our wholeness. In the power of Jesus’ name. Amen

Some resources which might be helpful in our times of devotion.

Hymn – Singing the Faith 519 – Father I place into your hands; and/or

Hymn – Singing the Faith 733 – God, hold us, enfold us, through desolate loss

Reading – John Chapter 9 Verses 1 – 12 – “Jesus heals a man born blind”.

I wasn’t going to choose this passage – was the man really born blind to suffer for many years just to meet Jesus so that he could heal him?

I am convinced not and that the lanuguage used is to emphasise the wonder of the healing.

The event is also to counter the belief, of that time, that the blindness must be due to some sin in the man or his parents.

It is, however, a powerful passage we have to understand. Especially if we are to convince those who base thier unbelief on a claim that no loving God would be that “cruel”.