Anointing for Healing

This weekend our worship services included elements of John Wesley’s Covenant Service, the Sacrament of Holy Communion and Anointing for Healing. The feedback last night and today has been very positive. There were lots of emotions, lots of tears and the power of God’s Spirit was evident in each of our four weekend services. Personally, I felt the presence of God made real in Elena’s prayer, in Tina singing Healing Rain, in seeing laity pray for one another, and in praying the Covenant Prayer together.
Our Book of Worship states: “Scripture strongly affirms ministries of spiritual healing. Spiritual healing is God’s work of offering persons balance, harmony and wholeness of body, mind, spirit and relationships through confession, forgiveness and reconciliation.”
In the Hebrew mind, physical healing was always intertwined with spiritual healing. We affirm that all healing is of God. “The Church’s healing ministry in no way detracts from the gifts God gives through medicine and psychotherapy. It is no substitute for either medicine or the proper care of one’s health. Rather it adds to our total resources for wholeness.” (Book of Worship, p.613).
How appropriate it was, at the beginning of a new year, to renew our vows and our commitment to Christ in the words of John Wesley, written around 1780. It’s true that the greatest healing of all is the reunion or reconciliation of a human being with God. When this happens, sometimes physical healing occurs, mental and emotional balance is often restored, spiritual health is enhanced, and relationships are healed. For the Christian, the basic purpose of spiritual healing is to renew and strengthen one’s relationship with the living Christ.
I pray that those who came forward to be anointed this weekend will experience the healing presence and power of Christ in your life.
“May the power of God’s indwelling presence heal you of all illnesses – of body, mind, spirit, and relationships – that you may serve God with a loving heart. Amen.”
Rod