They Made Request Of Him On Her Behalf

by Greg Neely, North York, Ontario, Canada | Category: General | Jul 1994

The apostle Paul writes to the Philippians and says, "The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (4:5,6). What a comforting thing to contemplate, that the Lord is as near to us as He was to the apostle! The result is that we should be anxious for nothing, but make our requests known to God. A practical example of this is seen in the few verses in Matthew, Mark and Luke which describe the healing of the mother-in-law of Peter.

While Matthew and Mark tell us she had a fever, only Doctor Luke tells us that she was suffering from a high fever. The Greek word for high is mega and means a great fever. The implication from Mark's account is that she was very ill. There was urgency in the attitude and action of the disciples. From the synagogue where the Lord had been teaching and healing, "immediately ... they came into the house of Simon" (Mark 1:29), and "immediately they spoke to Him about her" (v.30). Time was not to be wasted. They were anxious about this lady; but the Lord was near. Luke says, "and they made request of Him on her behalf" (Luke 4:38). This was intercession. They were burdened; they were anxious; they cast their cares upon Him, making their request for her restoration to health.

The Lord always responds to heartfelt supplication. He does not always heal as He did in this case, but He does always answer. Philippians 4:7 promises, "And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". With our requests we can expect His peace, and rest assured in it. And according to His perfect will, He often heals as well!

The Lord came to Peter's wife's mother, stood over her, took her hand, and rebuked the fever. "And it left her; and she immediately arose and waited on them" (Luke 4:39). The Lord responded to the crisis in such a way that the woman immediately arose. No medication! No cool compresses! Just immediate response to burdened hearts according to His will. That's the power of the word of the Lord! That's the power of His touch! That's the power of His divine presence!

Matthew captures the response of her heart, indeed the desired response of all hearts who have been healed by the touch of the Lord, both in that day and this: "and she arose, and waited on Him" (8:15). The other accounts record that she waited on them all. She served them, she perhaps laid out a meal and made them comfortable. But her heart was captivated by Him, the

One who had come near in her need, lifting her from death to life and raising her up. She served Him!

Can we do less? Once we were dead in trespasses and sins, but now made alive by the grace of God in Christ, raised up with Him, seated with Him in the heavenly places and ready to enjoy the surpassing riches of God's grace in kindness in Christ Jesus for all eternity (Eph. 2). Out of hearts overflowing with gratitude and love, how can we do other than to serve Him? "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him" (John 12:26). He has already given us so much! Yet if we serve (wait upon) Him, the Father will highly esteem us! Indeed, it's not only the Peace of God that surpasses all comprehension. His grace does too! We serve by following Him, doing what He did, obeying what He taught, finding ourselves in the place where He is as Son over God's house. We've been raised up to serve Him, just as was Peter's mother-in-law. And part of our service will be this great work of intercession, making request of Him on behalf of others. We should also respond immediately.

(All Scripture references from NASB).

Greg Neely, North York, Ontario, Canada | Jul 1994
General