James 5:13-15‏

13. "Is anyone among you afflicted (ill-treated, suffering evil)? He should pray. Is anyone glad at heart? He should sing praise [to God]."

Now James brings us, again to the issue of prayer. He first brings a person's suffering into the issue of prayer... and then turns to the opposite end of the emotional and circumstantial spectrum... someone cheerful. One is “suffering” (kakopatheo) which means to experience circumstantial hardship. And, instead of falling into a self-pity or resentment at others, we should pray to God for the strength to endure and the wisdom to learn what God wants to teach us.

The other is “cheerful” (euthumeo) which means to feel happy because you have good fortune. While it is natural to just revel in our joy over good circumstances, we should thank and praise God for His goodness. In these two extremes, our first reaction should be to turn to God. Let's continue...

14. "Is anyone among you sick? He should call in the church elders (the spiritual guides). And they should pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Lord's name."

Most Christians may not even know who the elders of their church are. This work of putting oil on someone's head may seem bizarre or foreign for many an evangelical today. For what does it matter? What does the oil actually do? However I think that, much like water baptism, it was the symbolism behind it that helped to focus the prayers of faith on God's part in the healing process

It sounds like James is supplying us with a formula which guarantees physical healing. Without considering other truths from the same bible, it appears that if you are seriously ill, and you ask the elders to anoint you with oil, and they pray for you in faith, you will always be miraculously healed. This passage is used by people, both ignorant & sometimes deceitful, to promise such healing on demand, and when healing does not occur they just say it is because the people involved did not have enough faith. But let's continue...

15. "And the prayer [that is] of faith will save him who is sick, and the Lord will restore him; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."

Prayer offered “in the name of Jesus... also called the prayer “of faith” is the prayer for healing that is according to God's sovereign will. In other words, God's sovereign will for each person will be different. Seriously ill Christians should also ask other mature Christians to pray for them, but this should be in addition to, and not instead of medical treatment. We should explain to others, both God's power to heal and His sovereign wisdom.

We, should also give the person an opportunity to confess sin that might (on occasion) have something to do with this sickness.

But behind all of this is that prayer and seeking God is the connection to whom set's over all that is going on in life. It is the personal relations and trust in God which He has always desired of man.

Let's pick up with James verse 5:16 next time.

I love you.