"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."
This is a brief but unusual salutation. Bible students are more familiar and used to it being: grace, mercy and peace. Nevertheless asking about or showing a concern for others' health in greetings, whether it be personal or in correspondence, was standard. We pretty much follow this pattern in our own culture. We say such things as, "How are you?" when meeting a friend. And in a letter, "I trust this finds you in good health."
The health and wealth gurus, along with many of the tell-evangelists use this scripture to promote their healing ministries, attempting to convince sincere and misguided saints they should never be sick, and if so, that God does not want it so. The result is long healing lines of sick folk, while the shyster lines his or her pockets with their silver. As P.T. Barnum is purported to have said, "There's a sucker born every minute."
But John is only saying what, for example, every pastor says to his flock around the holidays, "I wish all of you a Merry Christmas," realizing in reality this will not be true in many of their cases. But that is his longing, his desire, his deepest wish. It is a general statement, not a factual reality.
If good health and lack of any physical sufferings in a saint's life is an indication of being spiritual and of great faith, then the likes of Job, Paul, and yes, I say it reverently, our own blessed Lord would be left out.
Wishing never abdicates God's Will for one's life!
No comments:
Post a Comment