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The Shepherd Healer: Praying for healing everyday.

 
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laharper



Joined: 18 Sep 2011
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 11:45 pm    Post subject: The Shepherd Healer: Praying for healing everyday. Reply with quote

Many people think in the hospital setting that only the doctors and nurses deal with healing. Often, however, spiritual healing must take place before physical healing can begin. What a joy it is to participate in the holistic healing process of a person. When medical science has done all they can and the prognosis is still grim, I have seen patients healed because of the prayers of the chaplain, and I have seen them healed because of the prayers of a believing physician.

God has blessed me to shepherd in a setting where those with disabilities, HIV/Aids, dementia, obesity, cancer, mental illness, etc. make up the total congregation. They are my congregation today, but they will probably be back in your congregation in a few days. So I will try to use this time with them to its fullest.

Success at getting to the root of the problem I believe comes from two major facts: the anonymity the hospital chaplain has with the patient, and the time we have to listen to them, to hear their story. I am not a part of the patient’s community so in the privacy of the hospital room they may be less afraid to admit their struggle with the seven deadly sins then they would in a church setting where they might fear being exposed. By listening carefully, I do spiritual assessments on patients and strategically guide them to a better understanding of what is breaking their hearts and burdening their souls. Sometimes it may be more obvious things like cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, and sexual activity. Often it is the not so obvious: hate, unforgiveness, grief, pride.

In a multi-cultural setting, chaplains only pray openly when the patient is agreeable or requests you to do so. But the great thing about Christianity is I don’t have to face in a certain direction or bow my head to pray. I don’t have to even open my mouth. So I pray for each patient. First I pray for the healing that comes from knowing Christ, and then I pray Christ to get the glory from this situation by healing the patient and giving me an opportunity to tell the patient about the Great Physician.

Dear Lord, Thank you for giving me the opportunity to pray for the healing of many whom others would tend to neglect. Give me the compassion of Christ each and every day. Don’t let my prayers become mundane or routine. Don’t let my touch become hard and cold. Fill me fresh each day with your Spirit so that I can be effective and fervent in my prayers and live in such a way there is no barrier between You and me. I love you, Lord. You have put me in a place in my later years where I get paid to love and pray for people. Sometimes I pray for people that no one has ever mentioned to you before. How awesome is that! In the name of the only awesome God I pray. Amen.
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L. A. Harper
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