The First Miracle

Context

One day in January, I went with someone to pick up a lady who was in hospital. The man and woman were husband and wife. This woman has been ill since I have known her, and for over 10 years she has suffered a tremendous amount of pain. In hospital, I watched as she tried to slide off the edge of the bed and into a wheelchair. A distance of less than 50cm. It took them both a prolonged period of time due to the pain she was in and I started to sympathise a great deal about her situation.

As this happened, I noticed my hands tingling. I get this feeling when worshipping the Lord in church and alone in prayer, but I wasn’t worshipping in this instance. I also noticed that the feeling was unusually strong. I had an urge to go over and lay my hands on her around the back of her shoulders. It is difficult to describe, but I felt in that moment that I could heal her (not I as in me, but rather the Lord could heal her through me).

However, I worried about putting my hands on her and nothing happening. Even worse, I worried that she would turn to me and shout to get my hands off her and not to touch her ever again! So I did nothing. I actually sat on my hands, hoping this feeling would go away! When I went home, I was bitterly disappointed with myself for my cowardice in not stepping out in faith and trying to heal this lady.

The following week, I met 2 mighty men of God: Billy and Niall. We had a conversation about my newfound faith and some of the things that was happening to me. Billy offered to pray for me. Feeling guilty about what happened in hospital the previous week, I asked him to pray for this lady instead. I’ve never prayed for anyone else. Sometimes I would feel I am not being sincere if I prayed for people, especially those I don’t know. Because I was able to see the pain and suffering that this lady endured, and I felt sympathy towards her, I could be sincere when I interceded for her in prayer. Billy and Niall also prayed for her and took a prayer request to their church for their whole church to pray for her also.

Less a week later, I hear news that this lady is on her feet and is even going up and down the stairs in her house! Shortly after I hear that her doctor paid her a home visit and she spun round saying “Bet you didn’t expect to see me do this!” to the amazement of the doctor. 10 years of illness and pain are gone after less than a week of prayer - Praise the Lord!

The Lord is mighty and powerful. He gives us opportunity to be part of His plans, and it is up to us to trust Him and step out in faith. God gave me the opportunity to be part of His plan in healing this lady but I was not up to it. I let my fear of ridicule become greater than my fear of the Lord and so it didn’t happen in that moment. But the Lord will have His way and it was done anyway. The Lord does not need us for His will to be done, but He blesses us with opportunities to be part of His plans as long as we trust in Him and have faith!