The series of Reflections on what Jesus taught about money concluded last weekend and so I am taking this opportunity to say 'thank you' for the expressions of gratitude and assurances of prayer and to share some personal information.
A couple of weeks ago, the Money-Ed project that All Souls Church had funded at Clubhouse for 3½ years came to an end. It was my initiative to end the project. I suspected that it had run its course before I became ill last November. Then, when I was restricted to working from home, new potential seemed to open up as these Reflections gained more subscribers from the among the congregation at All Souls Church and around the world. This, however, was not the primary reason that Money-Ed was set up and earlier this year it seemed right to discuss its future with the leaders. It then seemed right to all of us for the project to conclude at the end of August, which is the end of the church’s ‘year’, the 12 month cycle of church projects. When I’m restored to good health, we’ll look at what to do next; in the meantime, the Reflections will continue, God willing.
A couple of weeks ago, the Money-Ed project that All Souls Church had funded at Clubhouse for 3½ years came to an end. It was my initiative to end the project. I suspected that it had run its course before I became ill last November. Then, when I was restricted to working from home, new potential seemed to open up as these Reflections gained more subscribers from the among the congregation at All Souls Church and around the world. This, however, was not the primary reason that Money-Ed was set up and earlier this year it seemed right to discuss its future with the leaders. It then seemed right to all of us for the project to conclude at the end of August, which is the end of the church’s ‘year’, the 12 month cycle of church projects. When I’m restored to good health, we’ll look at what to do next; in the meantime, the Reflections will continue, God willing.
In view of this, the Money-Ed email address is being replaced. If you have it in your address book, please replace it with philip.evans@clubhousew1.org (although emails addressed to Money-Ed should continue to reach me for the foreseeable future).
My health problems continue unimproved and undiagnosed. The indications that I mentioned in March proved to be false leads but two new theories
are to be explored in the coming months. I'm aware that I sometimes give the
impression of being worried about my condition but the reality is that it's some of the medical decisions that I find difficult to cope with. The irony is not lost on me that while I seek to help people transcend the
role of money in in their lives, I’m being treated within a health service where
every medical option is essentially a financial decision.
I expect I find this difficult because I've lived all my life in the UK and recall a time that was (or perhaps it just seemed to be) more caring, less compartmentalised (I've been to seven different hospitals and am the only channel of communication between most of them) and the financial control less transparent. I’m very fortunate that a lot of health care in the UK is free when you need it and that I don’t have the same problem as many of my readers who need money just to see a doctor and get basic medicines. But although the way money controls health care here is more complex, it’s no less effective in manipulating the way doctors think and who gets treated.
I'm grateful to everyone who prays for me and encourages me to greater faith for healing. Two verses often quoted to inspire me are Isaiah 53:5 & James 5:14-16. The first explains that it’s by Jesus’ wounds that we're healed and the second describes how church leaders should pray for sick people. 'The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.' I believe what these verses say but it’s clear that not every sick person in the New Testament was healed in this way.
I expect I find this difficult because I've lived all my life in the UK and recall a time that was (or perhaps it just seemed to be) more caring, less compartmentalised (I've been to seven different hospitals and am the only channel of communication between most of them) and the financial control less transparent. I’m very fortunate that a lot of health care in the UK is free when you need it and that I don’t have the same problem as many of my readers who need money just to see a doctor and get basic medicines. But although the way money controls health care here is more complex, it’s no less effective in manipulating the way doctors think and who gets treated.
I'm grateful to everyone who prays for me and encourages me to greater faith for healing. Two verses often quoted to inspire me are Isaiah 53:5 & James 5:14-16. The first explains that it’s by Jesus’ wounds that we're healed and the second describes how church leaders should pray for sick people. 'The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.' I believe what these verses say but it’s clear that not every sick person in the New Testament was healed in this way.
Paul tells us that death has reigned in the world since Adam (Romans 4:5), and that Christ shall reign until he has defeated all his enemies (1 Corinthians 15:25), so it’s only towards the end of Revelation that we read of a new heaven and earth where there is no death, mourning, crying or pain anymore. Jesus' work of redemption generally, including physical healing, is therefore a work in progress.
The Apostle Paul had a 'thorn in the flesh' (although it's not certain that it was an illness or disability) and he was ill when he first preached at Galatia. There's nothing in his letters or in Acts to suggest divine healing then or after he'd been stoned or flogged or had endured exposure, shipwreck or hunger. Timothy had a persistent stomach problem. Trophimus was left behind sick at Miletum and I infer from Paul's letter to the Philippians that when Epaphroditus' was ill while in Rome that his healing did not defy a natural explanation.
Paul was much more concerned with holiness than with health (although he did think health important) and testified how illness and problems can prove invaluable to our spiritual growth. He wasn’t alone in thinking this: as well as Romans 5:1-5, please consider James 1:2-4 & 1 Peter 1:3-7.
I'm happy to be prayed for by any of God's people, even if I can' quite agree their theology about healing, knowing that God blesses our faithfulness. And while I'm disappointed not to be healed, and not complacent about the inadequacies of my own faith, I know that God will act when it’s for the best.
With my best wishes,
Philip
© Copyright Philip Evans 2014.
What is given freely should be shared freely, so please feel free to share this Reflection freely and at no cost to others.
What is given freely should be shared freely, so please feel free to share this Reflection freely and at no cost to others.
