Lean On Me

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And 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. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.”

(Jam 5:13-18 ESV)

Overall, my personal prayer life is pretty good. I regularly offer up to the Lord prayers of praise and thanksgiving. I regularly bring to him my own needs and concerns. And I regularly bring to him my intercessions.



However, that being said, I’m not very good at asking for prayer. This likely ties in with my reluctance to ask others for help. Although I’m more than willing to pray for others, and although I’m more than willing to help others, I’m terrible at leaning upon others.



I’m terrible at it even though I know many who will help, if at all possible. I’m terrible at it although I realize that many are willing to minister to me in my need. It’s a flaw that I both recognize, and with which struggle, all at the same time.



From what I’ve seen, as a pastor, I’m not alone in this. This is true of many of us within the church. I’ve, at times, wanted to shake some of my parishioners who, when they have something major going on, fail to let me know.



In the above passage, James calls us to task for this. We’re encouraged to offer up our personal prayers. We’re called to bring our suffering before the Lord. We’re called also to bring to him our praises. But he doesn’t stop there.



James tells us that, when we’re sick, when we’re unwell, we’re to call upon the elders of the church for prayer. However, although our Bibles translate this word as “sick,” it means much more. It refers to our weakness. It refers to those times when we are feeble. It refers to those times when we are powerless.



What I’m saying is that we’re certainly to request prayer when we’re ill. But this call can refer to other circumstances as well. It can refer to mental illness. It can refer to spiritual weakness.



This is suggested also when he says that, if we’ve committed sins, we’ll be forgiven. It’s suggested by his admonition to confess our sins to one another. It’s suggested when he says that, as we do so, we’ll be healed.



The point is that we’re to call upon the elders, in our need, for prayer. And we’re to do so in faith. We're to do so realizing that the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.



James uses the example of Elijah to make his point. Although he was a man, like us, and although he too was beset with weakness, his prayers were a demonstration of this power. He prayed that it would not rain, and this prayer was answered.  For three years and six months, there was no rain upon the land. And when he later prayed for rain, it was also answered.



Yes, God has promised to hear our prayers. And, more than that, he’s promised to answer our prayers. But we are called to receive prayer also from others within the church. We are called to bring our needs to the elders, to the spiritual leadership of the church, that we might also receive their prayers. And we’re assured that, as we do so, we’ll receive healing.