Editorial April 25, 2016 Issue

A quick response

Rob Gilbert

Some years ago I decided that I needed to be quicker in my healing response to sudden situations. I felt I missed too many opportunities to make an immediate difference because I thought I didn’t have the time I needed to pray “properly.” As a consequence, impressions hung around until I felt they could be prayed about—that is, if I remembered.

I reasoned that it would be so much better to deal with such situations right in the moment of need. The Bible says, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (II Timothy 4:2). Other Bible translations interpret this as being prepared whether it is convenient or inconvenient.

Certainly, when one spontaneously knows the presence of God’s care as the only power at work in the moment, that is best. But sometimes one needs reminders of God’s presence and power, or needs to prayerfully argue against what appears to be another power. I wanted to do this more quickly, rather than putting it off. Just like a workman who has a hammer at hand in his tool belt, I wanted to have in my prayer tool belt an ability to give an immediate healing treatment.

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