Pass Me Not
Pass me not, O gentle Savior
Hear my humble cry
While on others Thou art calling
Do not pass me by
As I sing this song this evening, I have a picture of Bartimaeus sitting by the side of the road crying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on me!” It is so rare that I hear that kind of desperation in people’s prayers today. Especially when praying for others, I tend to hear monotone prayers, with words such as “Lord, be with _____ as he (or she) goes through surgery,” “Save _____,” “Be with us this coming week,” etc. Rarely do I hear people literally crying out to God, “Please save my loved ones. Don’t let them perish. Show me if there is anything I can do or say to help them find you.” Prayer should be more than a daily or weekly ritual; it should be a time when we enter God’s presence and present our petitions, knowing that He hears and expecting that He will answer as we pray in accordance with His will.
There are times I pray for a loved one, and I am not sure what God’s will is. This is especially true when a friend has a terminal sickness. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God can heal, even from Stage 4 cancer, but I also know He often doesn’t. During these times, I will still pray for healing until I am convinced that that is not His will. Then I pray for strength for the family to walk through the difficult time ahead.
God is not obligated to answer every prayer. I know that. But He has told me to ask, so ask I do. And I ask in faith, knowing that He hears me and that He will do what’s best for me and my loved ones.
Right now, I have a friend who deals with a lot of pain and sleepless nights. I am praying for His healing but I also know that God’s strength is made perfect through weakness. If God chooses not to heal my friend, He will use the pain to make my friend stronger and draw my friend closer to Him. Although we often refuse to look at it this way, pain with God close by is far better than a youthful body that lives apart from God.
In closing tonight, I just want to remind you that Jesus is very near. Present your needs to Him as if He is sitting or standing beside you, because He is. Then, when you’ve presented your requests, take some time to listen. At the very least, you may feel His peace and His presence, but you might even hear His voice as He speaks comfort or gives you direction. Then be sure to thank Him for not passing you by. He is such a good God. I’m so thankful to know Him.
Pass me not is a beautiful song. Dottie Rambo had tremendous version of this song.
I would like to share a scripture from 2 different translations.
James 5:16 King James Version (KJV)
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James 5:16 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
16 Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
Allow me to share some from my life’s experiences. I am from the old line Pentecostal believers. My Grandfather and his brother were Assembly of God preachers, when the AG was more interested in the power of God being manifested in the churches than numbers. My Grandfather passed away in 1987 at the age of 98.
My Dad was also a Pentecostal preacher as well as my mother. They are both gone on. Dad would have been 90 and Mama 83.
I was raised very conservative, and by today’s standards it would be called legalism.
My Dad preached divine healing and did not health insurance and we did not take medicine. I did not even have an aspirin till I was adult. When we children got sick, Dad and mother would pray and fast if needed till we got out healing. We have went to bed many nights when we were children with a fever and sick and the next morning we would wake up without a symptom. Why? Because Daddy and Mother had prayed all night for our healing. I didn’t know much about having a cold, because Daddy would pray and fast till we got healed.
This is what we call FERVENT praying.
I remember parents crying and praying for their lost children saying, “GOD WHAT EVER IT TAKES SAVE MY CHILDREN.” When have you heard this prayer prayed?
I feel the reason we do not see more answers to our prayers is because verse 15 of James chapter 5. There is sin in our lives, and we have got to deal with or our prayers won’t be answer. This is not always the case. But the vast majority..
We see too much of the world evident in our churches. We may feel something, but I am afraid it’s not Holy Spirit, but a seducing spirit.
I thought I would share this with you.
God bless you and continue to grow in grace and mercy.
I agree with you but don’t you feel like apathetic prayers are a part of this as well? Maybe that apathy is due to loving the world more than our time with the Lord though, which would go with what you are saying.
Yes I agree people do not want to take time to pray and be persistent and purser beer at is the reason why the prayers are not answered
I needed this today. Treated my 16 year nephew just had a tragic accident he fell out of a tree stand and the medical team says he will be paralyzed for life. I know today that God will not pass our family by. I really enjoy the emails I receive with keep them coming. Thanks much.
I’m so sorry to hear about your nephew but I too know that God will not pass you by. He is there. It’s just a time for you to lean on Him more than ever before.
Thank you.
You’re welcome, Maxine.
Perseverance I was talking it in and that’s what happened