Caring for the body

Caring for the Body
Today I spoke with a good friend. She had invited me to a writing group in Kona and has since published two books. She is working on her third and it is a book about chronic pain, a reality she lives with every day. I thought about her while cooking dinner tonight and the Lord brought up a conversation I heard this week on illness. “It’s not God’s will” was the answer a man gave the ailing woman he was about to pray for. I could still see the woman standing there, having often been prayed for over the last 20 years of her life. And then many scriptures came into my mind. “Remember those in chains . . . weep with those who weep . . . care for the less honorable parts . . . be kind to the sojourners and remember that you also were once a sojourner . . .look after orphans and widows “ came the thoughts. Finally the Lord spoke to my heart, “Why does the body judge its members for being weak, ill, poverty-stricken, or homeless?” I thought again about my friend with chronic pain and how many times she had been prayed for. And yet she was not yet healed. There may have been some who said she did not have the faith for healing, and at times she was thought to be a burden. I could feel sadness creeping in with the next words to the Church.
“I gave you the body to love, honor and nurture. If you had compassion you would care for the un-lovely ones. You would weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. No one would say “Go, be warmed and filled” without first having given those things needed by their brother. None would despise the misfortune that some fall into, but all would help the disabled and misfortunate. Certainly no one would judge those who are ill as having little faith; you would serve them instead.
How can Man speak on My behalf and say “God doesn’t want it to be so; illness, misfortune, all calamity is not of God” and yet ignore My Son’s deep pervasive compassion while on the earth. He is coming to reward men for what they have done in the Body.
If Man wants to serve Me only in the big things he will miss Me altogether. Didn’t I say “In so much as you have done this to the least of these, you have done it to Me”? I appear as the least, and as needy. I am sending sick, weak, needy people to you to make you whole as a body. My desire is to reward you. That is always My desire. Care for each member of the body as if you are that member of the body. Then you will have cared for Me. Be offended at the needy in your life and you will not recognize Me. Compassion sees the need.” Amen