Our Iris Johannesburg children’s first reaction to illness is to pray, there has been several times when either one has fallen and hurt themselves or they have not been feeling well and one of the children has come to get me saying “we must pray for him or her”. They know who their Father is and they know who they are in Him.
The hospital will only allow children over the age of 12 into the wards, so as of yet, many of them cannot come with us to pray for the sick. However, they will make beautiful cards and necklaces with scriptures on them to encourage the patients and let them know that they are loved. On one particular occasion, we were with a team in the TB ward. We were talking to a patient who happened to have her two grown up sons visiting her. We prayed for her, she said she felt a bit better but she still had some pain. We then gave her one of the cards from the children. A card from the top of the pile slipped and fell onto the floor, one of our team picked it up but knew it wasn’t the card to give this lady. Instead she gave her a card with a picture of a star in front that one of our 8 year old girls had drawn. One of her sons looked on amazed and said “my Mom’s nickname is star” We told her Jesus knew her name and loved her very much. She appeared to be very touched by this gift God had given her. Jesus knows all things, He sees and cares for even the small things, and I love the way He does the unexpected to remind us that He knows exactly who we are, where we are and that He loves us with an everlasting love.
Isaiah 43 v 1 says “But now O Israel, the Lord who created you says “Do not be afraid for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine”.