“Little Joe” was born at about 8pm one Thursday evening around 12 years ago, in the antenatal ward of the maternity hospital. The doctor had only half an hour before the birth pronounced that no birth would happen because the contractions were not strong enough. This was rather disconcerting at the time, as he was not due for at least two more months. He weighed 3lb 12 oz at his birth (1.7kg)
Joe’s first few weeks were spent in a special care baby unit, where he was cared for and eventually released to his proud parents, who took him home. He had not been home many days when he had an apnoeic attack and went blue and looked pretty much dead. Panicky prayers were said and Joe’s Mum did mouth to mouth resuscitation and Joe started breathing again. He was taken to hospital by ambulance.
After another short spell in the children’s ward, anaemia was blamed for the breathing problems, with blood transfusions being the order of the day. Joe’s blood improved and he was allowed home again. Joe was slower to walk and talk than most babies, but was catching up well by the age of three. At this time he suddenly became sick, his eyes rolled over to one side of his head, looking at something which was not there and losing consciousness for 15-30 minutes. Joe was once again having an emergency ride by ambulance to the hospital in the next town, the look on the ambulance man’s face did not inspire confidence.
This time, Joe stayed overnight at hospital, but after a quick recovery, the staff could not really find anything wrong with him. A few months later a similar thing happened and Joe’s parents started to wonder if this was a food allergy. Corned beef was the prime suspect until an attack when he had not eaten it.
Each time the attacks took a similar course: Joe would feel sick or actually vomited and he would go glassy eyed. His eyes would be fixed looking to his right and he would go blue as he stopped breathing. The attacks were very worrying and Joe’s Dad thought on more than one occasion that he was close to death.
About this time, Joe’s Dad was wrestling with a belief that he had stumbled on a gift of healing, for want of a better expression. One Sunday , his questions to God were answered when a lady, Liz, came up to him and said “I’ve got a message to you from the Lord. Yes you have the gift of healing”. Liz has since died but her message HAD to be from the Lord.
Joe was seen by doctors at the hospital and had tests of various types, lumbar punctures, EEG and other tests. There was nothing abnormal found but his parents were told that Joe may have suffered some brain damage when he had stopped breathing and this had resulted in him having epilepsy. Medication was a hit and miss affair. The first lot brought on episodes more regularly and then he had a cocktail of two, then changed to Tegretol which slowed the episodes down but did not stop them. Joe was at school and the tablets made him drowsy and did not help with concentration in class.
About 7.45 one morning, Joe was sick and looked blue as another episode started. They always lasted for 15-30 minutes. Joe’s Dad cradled him on his lap, put his hands on his head and prayed to the Lord for his healing. The episode stopped instantly. No medication was used to stop it (we had valium available) just the power of prayer.
Joe’s Dad was actually surprised that his prayer was answered in such a way.
Joe has had only one episode since which was associated with an accident when he broke his leg. The Tegretol tablets were gradually reduced to nothing and the doctors met with Mum and Dad that Joe had been very “fortunate” to grow out of his epilepsy, but they knew better than this being good fortune, and thanked the Lord for his healing.
Throughout this, Joe’s Dad discovered a gift, used it and because of prayer and results, gained faith. That gain in faith resulted in confidence that the Lord had REAL POWER to answer more prayers. In fact, all prayers are answered, but not all people are healed. Even the disciples had troubles dealing with healing and had to call upon Jesus in person to do the job. Sometimes the lord will use an illness to His Kingdom’s advantage and sometimes He will choose His time of healing, so that His purposes are achieved and god is glorified.
First published 1998.