Pray for the Sick ...

Friday, September 9, 2011. Recently I have been sick - it was a virus infect which started with a sore throught, then coryza, then a big headache and pain in arms, back and legs. I spend a weekend in my bed, then went to work for some days and had to stay in bed again, since it did not want to get better, but it got worse again …

Prayer and Sickness …

The question of sickness and prayer has always moved mankind. Sickness is a part of our life. There is nearly no human, who never gets sick, and we all have to die at some point. Usually, our death is accompanied by various illnesses, which anticipate the end.

Should we pray for health? Should we pray for recovery in sickness, for getting better and for complete restoration of our full health? What about terminal illnesses, those who cannot be cured any more and lead to death, either quickly or slowly? With illnesses we are in trouble, and there is no easy way out of it.

Today we are lucky to some extent. The development of modern medicine has led to many cures which were not knows centuries ago. We have drugs which can help in pain. We have operations which can cure disease which were terminal even 50 years ago. What is the role of prayer in all of this? Should we rely on prayer or on modern medicine?

Our Fate in His Hands …

I do not see a contradiction between prayer and modern medicine. Our fate is in God's hand, what ever humans know to do and can do. That has always been the case and it is not really influenced by human capabilities. Clearly, with our inventions we are a part of modern world and we have an impact. But that has always been the case. In ancient times people invented wapons and armors. That was their contribution to shape their fate. But it was God, who could control entire armees. The Old Testament tells the story of faith, of prayer and humility of God's people. It tells the story of God interacting with human history, on whatever level mankind has been with its technological development.

So I believe that we of course should try to develop medicine as far as possible, to contribute to curing people from the diseases of our time. And I believe that we should pray every day and in particular in times of trouble. We can and should pray for recovery and health. And we should pray for faith and wisdom, for the holy spirit guiding our life and the life of the sick.

God, guide our prayer for the sick, and come with your might to cure and restore! (Roland Potthast) ... more texts