Lay Hands on the Sick

Mark 16:14-18  NKJV  Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;  they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

I've been thinking quite a bit over the last couple of days about the last little bit of this Great Commission.  "They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."  It's pretty black and white it seems.  Who is "they"?  Well, let's look back a bit and see.  Verse 17 says "these signs will follow those who believe", so it is simply the believer who is the they.  I am a believer, so therefore I am a "they".  Seems pretty out there the first that you consider it. 

I remember meeting with my pastor some time ago and mentioning to him that this verse had really jumped off the page at me.  His response was to keep meditating on it and that scriptures that present themselves can be important ones and give you some sense of direction.

The first time I personally had healing ministered to me was when I met with a small group of guys.  That day, I had a muscle spasm in my back that made life difficult that day.  At the end of our time together, we shared prayer requests and I shared that I was having some issue with my back and would they pray for me for that.  I wasn't thinking exactly that they would pray at that very moment, but nevertheless that is what happened.  I stood up and the three other guys laid hands on me.  One of the guys was a pastor and had placed his hand on my back in the spot where the pain had been.  While they prayed I noticed a warming heat on my back and when they finished praying, the pain was gone and my back was restored.

So where is this going?  I'm not really sure.  I've really been rolling it around quite a bit in the last couple of days.  I am inclined to lay my hands on my wife and kids.  There has been times when I have felt that my sons have easily received healing as their young spirits are so receptive - I've seen fevers break and runny noses disappear, etc.  Other family members have had sore backs, etc and I've been reluctant to say or do anything as I guess I am just growing in faith in this area. 

I really desire to help people and to minister healing to give glory to God.  He is the healer and I want them to know the God that I know who is a good God and to have an awareness of the kingdom.