SHOULD WE PRAY FOR GOD TO “GUIDE THE SURGEON’S HANDS?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

My dear friend, you have probably heard worried Christians praying in earnest, “God, please guide the surgeon’s hands… Give the physician wisdom….” Perhaps you have uttered those words more times than you can remember. Long ago, my family and I used to utter those words a lot. Let me explain to you why we discontinued this practice.

IGNORANT PRAYER

The professing Church is wanting of one group of people—proficient Bible users. The Church the Body of Christ, genuine Christians not mere professors, is also lacking one group of people—proficient Bible users. While there is much Bible quoting and reading, there is scant Bible understanding. Church members have not been taught how to study the Bible; they are instructed to do nothing more than pull out verses that fit their particular denomination or theological system. The church leaders have been taught the same at seminary, Bible College, and so on.

It would do us well to think about what we are going to say before we pray. Just as we would talk to a friend after contemplating some words to utter, we should approach God the same way. We do not just start repeating the first thought that comes to mind. Remember, we would not approach a friend by speaking random words, gibberish, irrelevant things. All too often religionists have trained us to pray most superstitiously. With total disregard for what God is doing today, we just start running off at the mouth, beating our gums, “Oh, God, do this for me, do that for me, I want this, give me that. Give me a brand-new BMW. I want a wife. Give me a promotion or raise at work. Help me find my lost keys.” We have to remember to pray in accordance with God’s will; we do not just start asking God for favors, treating Him like He is Santa Claus.

For a moment, think critically about the prayer request for God to “guide the surgeon’s hands.” Exactly how would He accomplish this? Would He send an angel? Would He just grab ahold of the specialist’s hands Himself? Would He control those hands like one manipulates a marionette? Suppose the surgery had complications—paralysis, amnesia, uncontrollable blood loss, maybe even death. Who would then be to blame? God, or the surgeon? Or, was God ever guiding the surgeon’s hands at all? Have I got your attention yet?

Now, consider the prayer for God to “give the physician wisdom.” Just how would God bring this to pass? Would He whisper into the doctor’s ear the biological and/or medicinal information necessary to render proper medical care? Or, would there be some inner impression or hunch? Upon close inspection, this request makes no sense. If the physician needs God to give him wisdom, then why did he spend all his money paying for his many years of medical training? It was all a waste then! If God will give the physician medical wisdom, I see no reason why God could not give me (or you!) wisdom to perform a surgery. I have no medical training, but I think God would impart it if I ever needed it. (Of course, I am being facetious. Think about it, that is what we are really saying when we want God give the doctors wisdom!)

What I find troubling is that God would reveal some information to a surgeon, information not found in the Bible. That means God is speaking to us apart from the Bible today. That means the Bible is incomplete, that there is some revelation from God today. That surgeon would need to write down the information because it would be inspired Scripture. You would say, “Brother Shawn, that is heresy. The Bible is complete. It lacks nothing.” I would say, “Amen,” but then again, it was not my idea to start saying that God gives people insight apart from His Book in the first place. Whoever says God is speaking today in a form other than the Bible, that person would indeed be the heretic. Such statements take the Bible’s authority away and put it in a man. So much for the phrases, “I follow Jesus, I do not follow man. I go by what the Bible says; I do not base my faith on someone’s opinion’s.”

INFORMED, INTELLIGENT PRAYER

What does it mean to pray intelligently? Must someone have an IQ of 150 to pray intelligently? No, it does it refer to brainpower, but to the quality of Bible doctrine underlying the prayer. So-called “Christian truth” today is often actually nothing more than pagan superstition, religious tradition, idle speculation. This is why there are tens of thousands of opposing sects all claiming to be “New Testament Christians.” They are not acquiring the proper information, sound Bible doctrine. They are too dependent upon preachers, theologians, and teachers. They need to study their Bibles more on their own.

Also see:
» How should we pray?
» Should we say “God bless you” after someone sneezes?
» Should we pray for safe trips and “traveling mercies?”
» Should we pray for sick people?