Sunday: Sabbath rest, healing and health

Let’s P.R.A.Y.

P: Pause. Yes, pause. That’s what Sabbath entails: for us to Stop, Rest, Delight and Worship. Let’s take time to be still, breathe slowly and re-centre our scattered senses upon the presence of God.

R: Rejoice. Thank God for His example from the Creation story that gives us the instruction and permission to rest from our labour on a weekly schedule.

A: Ask. Pray for and actively seek the rejuvenation that comes through regularly scheduled rest. Pray for healing and health. Once a foreign non-Jewish woman asked Jesus to heal her daughter. When Jesus responded in such a way that would have made others feel degraded, the woman looked beyond her pride and answered with wisdom and faith, resulting in Jesus commending her and granting her request in a phenomenal way (Matt 15:21-28). Her testimony still speaks to us today. Let’s ask again, even if it feels like it’s the hundredth time, where we need a miracle of healing for ourselves, a loved one or someone else who comes to mind. Let’s ask Jehovah- Rapha, the Lord our healer, for rest, breakthrough, freedom, healing, health and complete shalom-wellbeing — whether He chooses to use the gift of medicine and surgery, or solely brings it about through His outstanding miraculous power.

Y: Yield. Let’s find rest in Jesus. Place trust and faith in Him to hear and answer.

Luke 6:9 NIVUK — 9 Then Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?’ 10 He looked round at them all, and then said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was completely restored.