Unfinished Faith: Relearning God.

Week 9:  Pray for me- The power of a praying friend

The bit where I introduce:  

What lengths would your friends go to, to help you?  A listening ear, a meal, a lift to somewhere or perhaps lowering you down from the roof to get healed?  Prob not so much the last one! Or maybe you have had a friend that has healed you?

 One of the most common phrases you will hear in the Christian space is “I’m sending you prayers, or I will pray for you.” At times I will be honest and say it has lacked authenticity for me because it is said so often, but what in fact can it do when someone prays for you? Is it a common misconception or is them praying for you the most powerful act they can do?

The bit where I refer to the bible: and ask a few rhetorical questions:

Matthew chapter 9 is where we land today.  Read the whole chapter if you can, the book of Matthew intends to show the Jewish people that Jesus is the promised Messiah, but our story is Matthew 9:1-8. Matthew 9 highlights Jesus’ compassion, power, and willingness to restore those who come to Him in faith.

This story illustrates how a friend’s belief can usher in healing. In this case it was a paralysed man that Jesus healed.  I feel sorry for the guy who owned the house, suddenly there’s a hole opened and they are lowering down a stranger into your living room!

It’s a short story only a few verses but carries some beautifully rich themes, the most apparent for me is a faith that is shared. The man was healed in connection to the faith of his friends, handy friends to have I’d say. It highlighted for me that faith can be communal, and that we are carried at times by the faith of others when we have none left. In some translations, the point is highlighted by the key verse “when Jesus saw their faith” not just the man’s faith.

I wonder how long this man had been paralysed and had he given up hope? Maybe you are in a season where grief has paralysed you, depression has silenced your belief, your shame has kept you stuck or exhaustion has dulled your hope? I think for me the standout message and a beautiful, gracious illustration in this short story is that in those moments where your own faith can feel small or absent, our access to Jesus is not always dependent on the strength of your own faith, sometimes you are sustained by someone else’s.

I also like the friends acted upon their belief, their faith was not just words or compassion, it was active not passive.  They sought out Jesus- the one who could heal, they took him there, heaved and lifted him up and onto the roof, busted through probably and lowered him down for a face-to-face impromptu meeting that would change his life. So perhaps when your friends say they will pray, it’s a shared faith moment. A moment that moves, interrupts, persists and makes space for Jesus to do what He loves to do.

It’s risky though… it can be awkward; it might be inconvenient (that’s where our passiveness with words perhaps can sound a little shallow- I mean how big do our prayers and actions need to go when we say we will pray?)  Cynicism aside, I think what it also does is, those prayers, the intent is not to leave someone stuck in their messes. We are interceding or advocating (doing for them that they can’t do for themselves)

I think Jesus honours collective faith, he responds with compassion to those who are compassionate in their prayers for you and he notices intercession expressed in action, which I think is one of the points in this story in Matthew. The last theme I get from this aligned with the shared faith motif is this story challenges modern faith centred on personal” I centredness: my belief, my journey, my spiritual strength. Whereas, I would say the kingdom operates relationally and dare I say maybe more effective when it’s relational, after all that’s the crux of our formative faith- it’s all about relationship with Jesus!

The bit where you get to think about stuff: Questions for the week.

Who has carried you spiritually in your life?

Who right now might need you to carry them? Are there people in your world whose faith is thin and yours could bridge the gap?

What does active faith in prayer look like for you right now?