“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven”…

Matthew 6: 9-10

Years ago, when I was part of an intercessory prayer team, a mother asked us to pray for her daughter.  Her little girl was 4 and couldn’t walk.  She had numerous other issues and I forget what the diagnosis was but the prognosis was that she didn’t have long to live.  We prayed and then shared what we believed God had given us for this little girl.  Everyone shared that they saw her healed here on earth.  I didn’t share that because that wasn’t what I saw.  I saw a little girl about four years old skipping down a street paved with gold.  Every once in a while, she would turn her head back and smile at someone who was behind her.  Her smile and her face radiated joy and peace and happiness.  She was beautiful and full of life.  I didn’t share it because that wasn’t what the mother wanted to hear just then and I sincerely hoped for her sake that I was wrong.  Unfortunately, the day came when she said goodbye to her precious daughter and released her to God and heaven.   Some time later, I shared that vision with her and it brought her a great deal of comfort.

Jesus Himself tells us to pray that God’s will would come to pass here on earth as it is in heaven.  Here and now, on earth.  I hear so many people talk of the future healing that will take place in heaven and it sounds, well, heavenly.  But Jesus, not Joe Blow, not some anchorman, not some politician, but Jesus said to pray this way.  Why, unless the beauty of heaven is to be released here on earth?  Now.  Not just later. I can’t explain why God chose to heal her in heaven and not here on earth but that doesn’t weaken my faith and I hope it doesn’t weaken yours.

I’ve read about heaven but I can’t imagine it.  What I saw on that little girl’s face though convinces me that in heaven, legs that couldn’t walk here on earth will walk and skip pain free.  People whose lives were full of issues will be issue-free. Faces that showed pain here on earth would radiate peace and joy and happiness.  I’m sure there’s way more, but that right there is awesome.

And Jesus said, we are to pray for those things to come here on earth as they are in heaven.

How I long to have legs that will walk and skip with no pain and I believe it is Your will that that takes place here and now on earth as it will one day in heaven.  So I thank You. More than that though I long to see joy and peace and happiness all over the faces of those that call You Friend and Savior.  In Your mercy and Your grace You have provided for our healing here and a future that we can only imagine later and forever.  Thank You for reminding me of this little girl and her healing.  When her mother is feeling sad, would You remind her that her little girl is safe in the arms of love and living fully without issues and pain.  In Jesus’s name, I pray, amen.

I would love to hear from you. Please let me know if I can be praying for you as well.

pic credit: churchleaders.com