The pastor who introduced Barb and me and 'promoted' our romance was Clancy Yates. Although he was practically blind in his later years, he continued to preach and teach in a variety of places. He had been an extremely effective minister, having brought 320 new members into his congregation during his last year of 'appointed' ministry. Although a believer in spiritual healing, he wondered why God had not seen fit to restore his sight. He had prayed long and hard about it, until one night as he lay awake in prayer, he relates that God revealed something to him. He had always trusted in the verse in John 14:13:"And I will do anything you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father" He had read the verse many times, but he, like many of us, perhaps, had overlooked the last half of the promise, "that the Son may bring glory to the Father."
It seems that he is saying that what we ask is contingent on it glorifying God, the Father. (I think I can confess that that is not always uppermost in my head as I make my requests.) However, relating this to healing, Clarence said that, while he still looked for healing to come to his sight, that his prayer would be for whatever most glorified God. If it was the restoration of his sight...wonderful, but if somehow God would gain glory through his faith and trust in the midst of his situation, he would praise God for that, too.
Just what does it mean to glorify God? I am giving thought to that these days. Can it sometimes be the witness of our faith, in spite of ill health, bad fortune, or diminishing strength. Something, (or Someone), led Paul to say of his "illness" (thorn) :"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
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