Lessons Learned from My Sickness Part 34: The Gift of Prayer
By Pastor Ronny Luces
When my sickness was revealed to me by my doctor, I immediately sent this SOS to family members, friends, church people, colleagues, everyone I can reach –
“PLEASE PRAY FOR ME. Please create a hole in heaven’s door so that the Lord will look at your faith, and will look at me with compassion and will answer our pleadings.”
Since then, I was sustained day by day by the Lord.
Miracles continue to happen moment by moment, and His mysterious ways are revealed minute by minute.
To express my thanks to your prayers, let me also post my prayer for you.
Our heavenly Father and merciful God, we turn to you in prayer as we have done since you have called us to be your children.
Thank you, dear Lord, for giving us this gift of prayer and making us partakers of this blessed moment of communicating with you.
Our spirits are dependent only on your divine anointing.
Please let your presence fill our hearts and hear our prayers once again.
We are so grateful for your grace and mercy that brightens our lives even in the midst of sickness, sorrows and grief that we are experiencing.
For despite those difficulties, you have endowed us with so many blessings.
You have made us a community, a family, a sanctuary of faith. You have given us so much goodness, and we are much grateful for it.
Thank you for the fellowship that we share, the songs that we sing, the prayers that we utter.
Please sustain us in our promise to one another to share this goodness, to offer our companionship, material relief and watchful presence to everyone in need, wherever and whenever we can.
And yet as we look out, we have this awareness that for most people, the days and nights offers neither serenity nor wonder, but punishing indifference, hunger, conflicts, sickness, wars and other forms of destructive experiences.
O loving God, forgive us that sometimes we forget our brothers and sisters, and in doing so, fail at the one great task you have set before us.
Guide us, then, O God and rekindle our lights with your own.
When we look to the heavens, teach us to take our bearings from them, to be guided by them, to walk each day with integrity — knowing that in this way, together, we may cause the indifferent nights to be overcome.
When we feel the despair that comes from broken promises in our lives, we remember O God that your promises do not fail.
When we feel the loneliness that comes from a sense of failure and rejection, we remember O God that your love is sure and unchanging.
When people and events in our lives seem frighteningly out of control, we remember O God that all things are under your control.
When we do not understand the reasons for the difficulties that we face, we feel confident in your divine wisdom.
We praise You Lord, and thank you that your promises, your love and your power sustain us in the most pain-filled times.
We pray all these in the name of your son Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Lord and our friend. Amen.
Posted on FB: Friday, 27 March 2015 at 1:50 PM
About the Author
Rev. Ronny Luces was the Minister for Administration and Community Service of the Jaro Evangelical Church (JEC), Iloilo City, Philipines. He and his wife, Martha have been with JEC’s ministry since 1994.
Pastor Ronny graduated from Central Philippine University College of Theology in 1985 and was pastor of several Baptist churches.
In January 2015, after tests and two long hospital confinements, Pastor Ronny got the word he had lung cancer. He underwent chemotherapy.
Praying for healing and going through all the medical processes, Pastor Ronny wrote his reflections “Lessons Learned from My Sickness.” In July 2015, he passed away.
May Pastor Ronny’s series of reflections and meditations strengthen your hope and faith as you go through your own life’s battles.
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