Healing Hands

When we had spaghetti for breakfast this morning, I knew it was going to be a special day.

Warning: This is going to be mind-blowing!

We set out for a prayer walk this morning with August, who is our translator, navigator and bodyguard. We stopped to pray for a man who was sitting on the steps of a Hindu temple.

This man has had is left arm paralyzed for 3 years, and as we started to pray, a crowd was gathering (not uncommon for us). Some continued to pray for him for a while, and some of us went to pray for other people who had pushed through the crowd, asking for prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. During the prayer for this man, he started to move his fingers! Then he hid his arm under his raggedy cloak, as if he did not want to admit what was just done for him in the name of Jesus!

Zoe and I went to one woman who had her head tilted to the side, with her neck causing her so much pain. So Zoe and I laid hands on her and prayed fervently, praying that she might be healed and healed to the full.  We prayed that she might come to know the Lord, and just how amazing our God is. That the weight on her shoulders, the burdens of her heart and the pain in her body might flee, and that the curious crowd that has gathered might see an amazing work of God. Something so incredible it has to be supernatural. So when we lift our hands, the pain would be no longer.

Amen.

As we opened our eyes, her face light up, her rotted teeth showing through her wide smile.  She slowly began to roll her head from side to side, and then faster and faster. She could not stop! With eyes wide and grinning, she turned and walked away, still rolling her head from side to side all the way down the street.

I am still in so much awe over what happened today! What an amazing God we serve! We serve a God who sees the suffering of His children, and has compassion for them. We serve a God who calls on willing servants to carry out His will. And He chose us today to go out to the slums, call on the healing power of the Holy Spirit and bring glory to the Lord’s name. Today, 22 people stepped forward and received prayer, knowing it was in the name of Jesus Christ, right outside a Hindu temple nonetheless.

Last week, our team walked these same streets, and looked at the same desperate faces, and saw the same frail bodies huddled in corners, shaking and confused. Last week, we came back heavy, burdened, and drained. We felt such darkness and despair in this city. But today, God was there working and bringing hope and healing to His children. We walked home singing worship music, and heads were turning as we travelled. When we got back to our house, we sang praises to our Almighty Father for what he has done!

As we sang in our backyard, three of our neighbours were watching (2 young women and a young man). After we finished, I knew I had to go talk to them. They told me that the songs we were singing were really nice, and that they knew we were worshipping Jesus, who is our God as Christians. I was beyond delighted that they knew who we were praising. As we talked more, they asked if we could visit their home. I am so happy to say that we plan to visit them this Friday, and I so look forward to talking to them more, and tell them about Jesus, and how much He loves each one of them.

So if we thought we had seen enough miracles in one day, we were reminded there is no such thing. Before prayer time, Ashleigh began to have stomach pain, similar to when she had gallstones, but praise the Lord it was very short lived. When she prayed against it, and prayed that this pain may not hinder her from her ministry here, the pain left. Immediately! How great is our God! Seriously!  

If you are a bit overwhelmed reading this story, and you are sitting in disbelief, I understand! Because God’s power and wonder is unfathomable, it’s so immense we could never fully grasp it!

I am reminded more and more how awesome it is to be a daughter of the King. I am reminded that it is both my hope and obligation to spread the kingdom. What it looks like to surrender to God’s perfect will. How important it is to have confidence in God’s faithfulness and provision. And I am continually challenged to be bold in proclaiming the gospel, and seek guidance from the Lord for every action and every deed. Today was miraculous. Literally. We saw the fruit that came from faithful prayer and spirit led actions.