Service of the Word for Healing

As Scripture tells us in James 5:13-16: "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Now there may be questions that come to mind, such as:

Why? Don't we pray for folks already?
Yes, we do. But sometimes, we as individuals prefer to have a more personal interaction with God. Consider confession, most of the time we have confession in a corporate manner (altogether) in worship. But there are times in which confession may be done privately in a more personal interaction with God. That is why there is a liturgy of "Individual Confession and Absolution" beginning on page 292 in the hymnal. Such is the case here in this Service of the Word for Healing, we are providing folks an opportunity to have a more personal interaction with God when they ask for healing.

How about the laying on of hands?
This is nothing new. Consider how many times you take someone's hand to pray before a meal or at a bedside.

How about anointing with oil?
This may be new. But in looking at James, it is called for use. Many times in the Old Testament, the application of oil was the best medicine. We are not using the oil for medicine. Nor should one consider it as having "magical" properties. But in this Service, the anointing with oil may for an individual make this prayer a more personal interaction with God. The anointing with oil is optional. This practice will be no different than those folks who prefer not receive ashes on Ash Wednesday. The real power is God Himself who heals.

Who should come forward?
This is for anyone who desires to be healed of any physical ailment. But this is also for anyone who desires emotional healing. An example might be, an individual who has lost a loved one or who has gone through a divorce or something similar, then they are welcome to come forward. This could also be for someone who is seeking God's help in overcoming a sin that has hold over them. They could come forward and ask that God would release them from this burden.

Does a person have to tell us why they are coming forward?
No, they do not. God already knows why they are seeking His grace and mercy.

What if I don't have a specific need?
You are welcome to come and join in prayer with those who do. Keep in mind that this is a Service of God's Word intended for the primary purpose of asking the Lord to heal an individual. After all have received prayers, then there will be a general blessing and dismissal.

If you have need, please attend. If you would like to participate by praying for others, please join us for our next Service of the Word for Healing.