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Counsels on Health
for whom petitions are offered would be able to endure the trial and
test that would come upon them if they lived. He knows the end from
the beginning. Many will be laid away to sleep before the fiery ordeal
of the time of trouble shall come upon our world. This is another
reason why we should say after our earnest petition; “Nevertheless not
my will, but Thine, be done.”
Luke 22:42
. Such a petition will never
be registered in heaven as a faithless prayer.
The apostle was bidden to write, “Blessed are the dead which die
in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest
from their labors; and their works do follow them.”
Revelation 14:13
.
From this we can see that all are not to be raised up; and if they are
not raised to health they should not be judged as unworthy of eternal
life. If Jesus, the world’s Redeemer, prayed, “O My Father, if it be
possible, let this cup pass from Me,” and added, “nevertheless not as I
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will, but as Thou wilt” (
Matthew 26:39
), how very appropriate it is for
finite mortals to make the same surrender to the wisdom and will of
God.
According to His Will
In praying for the sick, we are to pray that, if it is God’s will, they
may be raised to health; but if not, that He will give them His grace to
comfort, His presence to sustain them in their suffering.
Many who should set their house in order neglect to do it when
they have hope that they will be raised to health in answer to prayer.
Buoyed up by a false hope, they do not feel the need of giving words
of exhortation and counsel to their children, parents, or friends, and
it is a great misfortune. Accepting the assurance that they would be
healed when prayed for, they dare not make a reference as to how their
property shall be disposed of, how their family is to be cared for, or
express any wish concerning matters of which they would speak if
they thought they would be removed by death. In this way disasters are
brought upon the family and friends, for many things that should be
understood are left unmentioned because they fear expression on these
points would be denial of their faith. Believing they will be raised to
health by prayer, they fail to use hygienic measures which are within
their power to use, fearing it would be a denial of their faith.