Category: Religion
Please be aware that the following video is religious in nature. However it does contain an important message about Christmas that can be applied to all regardless of whether you are Christian or not. Please take a couple of minutes to watch it.
Thank you.
Sunday was a relatively good day. I went to Church in the morning and was encouraged by the messages I was receiving from God. I was overwhelmed during the initial period of praise and worship. We were singing the words:
Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
And later (in the same song):
So take me as You find me,
All my fears and failures,
Fill my life again.
I broke down in tears during this song, one which I have listened to so many times (and one which I would say is a favourite of mine). However, I just felt as though God was really speaking to me during this song.
The afternoon was tough as I reflected on what I had experienced at Church in the morning. I spent some time in reflection and prayer. I also turned to my bible and found myself reading some very inspirational words, words which I have read many times before but only really realised the significance of today.
I was emotionally exhausted from the morning and the afternoon, but I struggled out to the evening service and I was bombarded with even more from God. It felt as though the preacher was speaking directly to me, as if God was making sure that I heard loud and clear His message to me.
When I got back from Church in the evening my mood was the best it had been for quite some weeks, and I just hope that it stays this way but who knows.
While I was reflecting on everything that I had experienced during the day I was reminded of yet more lyrics from another praise and worship song. This, I believe, was yet another message from God. The lyrics were:
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of meAnd I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth
It was a stark reminder that even though I may feel alone and isolated I am not. I have plenty of friends and ultimately I have God walking with me and He is there, ready to listen and to help if I need Him. Such an encouraging day!
I know for many of you who read my blog religion isn’t really your thing, but it is of great comfort, help and support to me. I don’t know how today would have panned out had I not had my belief in God and had I not gone to Church, especially given the content of my thoughts during last night. Praise the Lord!
Anyway, I am off to bed.
The BBC are asking whether it is right to mix religion and healthcare. It comes off the back of a story detailing how doctors are demanding that NHS staff be given a right to discuss spiritual issues with patients as well as being allowed to offer to pray for them.
For those who have faith and a religion the spiritual aspect to their life can almost be as important as taking the medication and treatment provided by doctors. However, should doctors and nurses be involved in that spiritual side? I’d suggest not. The chaplaincy systems operated within the NHS are where the spiritual aspect of getting better are rightly concentrated. Having priests, ministers, pastors, imams (or whatever they are called by the patient) available to come and pray for/with, meditate and talk with patients is a very good idea and can be of great comfort to the patient. I know that when I was in hospital recently that the visits made by a few of the church elders and one of the pastors was very comforting and helpful.
Doctors, nurses and church leaders are all specialist in their own areas and as such should be left to do the job that they do. I don’t know about other faiths, but certainly in Christianity one does not choose to become a church leader, but rather is called to be one. They are specially chosen by God to do the job that they do and this makes them much better equipped to do the job.
I remember reading a story in a book where a junior doctor was telling about the time when he called a priest in for a dying patient who was all on his own. The patient had indicated in their patient records that they were a catholic. The patient died that night, but he did not die alone. The priest sat with him until the end, praying for him and such like. No doctor or nurse could act in this way – the just don’t have the time!
What I am trying to say is that faith has a place in medicine for those who believe in a God, but to mix them together is not the best idea in the world. The doctor-patient relationship works because of the distance between doctor and patient, yes there may be a relationship and/or rapport built up over a long period of time, but it is quite different to the sort of relationship you start entering into with prayer. Prayer is deeply spiritual and I think that the spiritual bond created between doctor and patient were a doctor to pray with a patient would be counter-productive.
Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions?
prout de jure 