Ignite’s Editor, Rachel Rounds, shares how a prayer for her son’s friend led to a miracle and reminded her of ‘childlike faith’.
RACHEL AND TANOA ON HOLIDAY IN 2022
RACHEL’S STORY
I have a small confession to make, I am terrified of praying for people to be ‘healed’. My few forays into prayer for non-Christians can be counted on one hand and they have all failed. This has led me to feel a bit ‘let down’ by God, as the person I have prayed for has walked (or limped) away looking unimpressed and I have felt embarrassed. My grumpy thoughts towards God have largely consisted of: “It would have been nice, God, if you could have just done that one tiny miracle so that he/she could have seen you at work. It might have changed their life.”
So, I have largely given up. My mum, on the other hand, who has been a Christian for about fifty years, will pray for anyone and everyone to be healed. It could quite literally be a stranger on the bus next to her or often her neighbours (who seem quite used to it now). She’s had mixed results, but it doesn’t seem to have put her off. This makes me feel ashamed of my lack of faith so, it’s a good job God doesn’t give up on me!
Anyway, last week, Jonny, the son of one of my closest friends and neighbours, damaged his knee for the second time and was in a considerable amount of pain. He was playing with my son, Tanoa (they are both 12 years old) in his bedroom, with another slightly older friend, Sehen. Jonny has been christened and believes in Jesus, Tanoa is a Christian, Sehen’s parents are both practicing Christians and Sehen also believes.
After much prevarication, I decided there was no harm in trying. So I went into Tanoa’s room and said: “Boys do you all believe in Jesus?” To which they heartily replied: “Yes.” Without any trace of embarrassment. So I said: “Right, well you know I do. So we are going to pray for Jonny’s knee if he is okay with that?” Jonny agreed. So I prayed: “Dear Jesus, we four all now pray for Jonny’s knee. We ask that you take the pain and swelling away. We pray that tomorrow will be amazed to find he can walk properly without any discomfort and that his knee and leg will be back to normal. We know that you love Jonny, Sehen, and Tanoa but we pray that you will show Jonny how precious and special he is to you by your touch on his knee and his life. Amen”
I looked up and all the boys opened their eyes after saying “Amen”. It nearly brought me to tears as they looked so innocent and hopeful. I wanted Jonny to say: “The pain is gone!” then and there. But he didn’t. And I have to be honest, I went back to my room and felt the same sense of despondency I always do and said to God: “Would that have been so hard? Would it have been such a big strain for you to have changed the life of that one little boy and showed all three of them that you are real and they all matter to you?” With that, I went into a ‘mini-God-sulk’ which I often do - at which He must either raise His eyes to the heavens (pardon the pun) or laugh or shake His head with despair.
The next day, I texted Susan, Jonny’s mum, and told her what had happened. I am not sure what she believes. It’s not right of me to go into her struggles, during this testimony, but she has had to deal with more horrendous things in her life than any human should do. However, during our friendship, she has stayed quiet when I talked about my faith. She has never criticised it or mocked me, but she hasn’t ever said: “I am a Christian too”.
She told me she believes in God and has accepted my offers to visit church (it hasn’t happened yet due to football/rugby/family commitments on a Sunday) but I think she will at some point. I was amazed when she replied: “Well it obviously worked. Thank you. Last time this happened it took a few days to sort itself out, this time he was much better less than 24 hours later.”
I cannot begin to tell you the flood of emotions I felt: gratitude to God, guilt for having so little faith, joy for Jonny, and wonderment that a prayer of mine actually ‘worked!
I replied: “Hey, that’s amazing. T, J, Sehen, and I all prayed together. It was really sweet. I put my hand on J’s knee and prayed that it would get better and the pain would go. That’s a miracle.”
I talked to Jonny the next time I saw him and told him that Jesus had healed Him and performed a miracle on his knee and that He loved him very much. Jonny lacks self-confidence so beamed with happiness and said: “Thank you.”
I don’t know who was more moved - Jonny or me. God then reminded me that Jesus says in Luke 18:17: “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Those boys had the one thing I didn’t have and that was child-like faith. I know that in each of their hearts, they all believed what they prayed, even though I was full of doubt. It taught me a lesson that I will never forget - like Peter as he walks on water in the storm - we need to keep believing that Jesus has the power over the wind and the waves, life’s storms, its aches, and pains. He is the God of the universe and regardless of our state of mind, He is a God of mercy, love, and grace. Amen.