Could it be said that God has a clear interest in more than just reviving us spiritually? In my opinion, one huge area where I have seen Him clearly at work, not only in my own life but in the lives of others is in the area of our physical health. That being said, in my opinion, there is nothing more non-Christlike than having someone suggest in a condescending way that to be truly spiritual you should be focused on praying for a divine healing and not on seeking the advice of a physician. The New Testament reveals Jesus said that “It is not the healthy that need a doctor but the sick.” Mark 2:17b NIV and Paul said, “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” I Timothy 5:23 Both references support medical intervention. I know of cases where God not only used doctors, but He opened doors to lead believers to the best physicians in a specific area of the medical community.
One of the answers to a chronic health issue that I was having emerged from one of the teenage girls who were attending a drop-in youth center where I was the director several years ago. She came in to hang out, shoot pool, play ping pong and enjoy group games with other young people. She was an older teen and had only been coming a few weeks when she asked for special prayer, citing a serious condition with her blood pressure. We later learned that although local hospital CT scans were revealing nothing, Sandy’s blood pressure was running at a dangerously high level, approximately 230/180. She told us that her grandmother had once been to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota and that if she was willing to fly out there her grandmother, who had been praying for her, would pay for the trip. After the youth prayed that night, she told us she was leaving within a couple of days.
Shortly after Sandy landed in Minnesota a team of specialists utilized Mayo’s brightest minds and best diagnostic equipment to try to determine what could be causing this extreme hypertension in someone only nineteen years old. The very first day she arrived their advanced CT equipment discovered that she had a major blockage in one of her renal arteries. During surgery the next day they used a vein from Sandy’s leg to surgically bypass her clogged renal artery, giving her instant relief, allowing her blood pressure to return to normal overnight.
Sandy’s return to the youth center and subsequent testimony brought cheers and praises to God from all the teens around the room. God truly used the best of modern medicine to save Sandy’s life. Sandy also did not know how this would also save mine in the future!
Upon calling the Mayo Clinic I learned that most major insurance companies will pay for you to be a patient there. They have accepted that Mayo’s advanced diagnostic capabilities and world-class physicians have a very high batting average in not only getting to the source of the problem quickly but treating it efficiently. I developed chronic, deemed locally untreatable hypertension myself and pretty much decided that my health was worth about the price of a good used car to fly to Minnesota to see what The Mayo Team could do for me. Through much prayer, my decision seemed confirmed as door after door opened for me to make the trip. I was seen by Dr. Stephen C. Textor, author at that time of over seven books and hundreds of
publications on hypertension. Within a short time of my arriving at Mayo Dr. Textor, using advanced diagnostic tools, prescribed an effective blood pressure medicine which I still take today. He and the Mayo Clinic ended up being an incredible answer to prayer.
Jesus said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Luke 4:12b NIV Yes, pray for healing but please understand that in that process God just might direct you to a highly trained specialist in the field of your sickness as the pathway to your healing which is equally glorifying to Him!
Amen!!! So many well-trained and devoted doctors everywhere. They are ordained by God.