The Power of God (or Lack Therof)

My Mother-In-Law came over the other day and we had the following conversation:

MIL: “I pray for you daily”

Me: “Thanks. I know prayers work.”

MIL: (unable to find a cross large enough to bear) “I pray that some of your pain will be taken away . . . and given to me.”

Me: “Huh? Isn’t God powerful enough to take away my pain without giving it to you? Why does there have to be a sacrificial person to take my pain? Why can’t God heal me without hurting you?”

Okay, this bothers me on oh-so-many-levels. Firstly, does she really think God would take away my pain and then sit in Heaven thinking “I took this pain away and now I just don’t know what do with it . . .hmmm. . . .oh, wait! . . .Suzy Q down in Texas just prayed me a great idea. . . I will transfer the pain to her.”

This woman taught Sunday School to children for over a decade for Christ’s sake (okay, I couldn’t resist the pun). I am terrified of what she will try to teach my son.

Our conversation continued:

MIL: (Somewhat frustrated with my line of questioning) “Well, that is what I did with my mother when she was sick and it worked!”

I didn’t ask her how she knew the pain she had experienced all those years ago had come directly from her mother. I guess she just knew.

Me: “Thanks for praying for me, but I don’t want you or anyone to have to experience my pain for me. But if you believe God can only transfer pain and not extinguish it, how about if God transfers mine to a serial rapist or murderer?” Seems reasonable to me.

Sometimes logic defies the average Christian zealot.