Introduction
     In Luke’s Evangel, we read a parable spoken by Master Yahshua in which he tells of a certain rich man who was faced with a quandary. His garden was overflowing with the produce of his fields, and he determined that he would pull down his barns and build greater … there, to store his increase. And therewith confident that he had more than heart could wish, he would resign himself to fulfilling a life of pleasure and leisure, taking his ease eating, drinking, and being merry.
    But the Supreme Sovereign Yahweh took notice of his purpose, and intervened, declaring to him, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required to thee … So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward Eloha” (Luke 12:20, 21, KJV used throughout).
    “Rich toward Eloha?” One might ask, How can one be rich toward Eloha when the cattle on a thousand hills are His (and the hills also) as well the earth, and the fulness thereof, are His and from Whom distribution of man’s needs are come?
    Well, the answer is found elsewhere, in Matthew’s account. In chapter 25, Yahshua declares that when He, the Son of man shall come in His glory, He will separate the sheep from the goats, and commend the sheep on His right hand, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: Naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me. Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, ‘Master, when saw we Thee …?’ And the King shall answer and say unto them, ‘Insomuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto Me’ ” (Matt. 25:34b-38a, 40). We conclude then, that becoming rich toward Eloha will cost the benefactor that first prerequisite, incidentally, of professing himself to be a disciple of Yahshua – that is denying the self (Matt. 16:24).

Love: Fulfilling the Law
     Of these six estates in which one might find himself or herself – hungry; thirsty; a stranger (perhaps homeless); naked; sick; imprisoned – this discourse will focus upon the fifth: “I was sick, and ye visited Me.”
    There would perhaps be fewer means by which one could, at once and the same time, condescend to them of lower estate by looking less upon one’s own things and more, upon seeking the prosperity of another; weeping with them that weep; bestowing more abundant honor to them who think themselves less honorable; comforting them which are in any trouble; lifting up the hands that hang down and supporting the weak and feeble knees; bearing another’s burdens; distributing to the necessity of them in want; doing good to them as you would they should to you, exercising the same care and concern for, and identifying with, and relating to others’ suffering … in short, becoming rich toward Yahweh and fulfilling the Law of Love when a member-in-particular is sick and infirmed, afflicted and tormented, and conflicted even, when his or her faith toward Yahweh is come under attack through the experience of adversity of illness.
    There would be fewer occasions that demand and command the exercise of Body Ministry by them which are thought, and who profess themselves to be, members everyone-of-another, than when one of their members suffer not only physical sickness or disease, but whose faith is also tried and particularly, when after spiritual introspection nothing of outstanding, unconfessed sin is produced that might be considered cause for his or her distress.

Three Reasons for Sickness
     The Scripture informs us, that When a man’s ways please Yahweh, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him, Proverbs 16:7.
    Surely, sickness may be thought an enemy. But, on the other hand, couldn’t sickness be an instrument, a vehicle, a means, by which one is chastened and corrected because of a want of having contritely repented and confessed his sin?
    Well, yes it could, as Yahweh posited in the Book of Deuteronomy, that if His peculiar people would obey Him, He would not afflict them with the diseases of Egypt.
    In John, chapter 9, Yahshua’s disciples understood this concept, when they queried of Him concerning the man born blind, who had sinned, he or his parents? And earlier in John’s narrative, in chapter 5, Yahshua had healed a man who had been afflicted with his particular infirmity for 38 years, saying, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” (John 5:14).
    So, yes, clearly, sin can be the responsible agency for one’s illness, but sickness can as well be an opportunity by which Eloha might be glorified, as in the case of Lazarus in John, chapter 11, whose sickness declined toward his death.
    Or one’s illness can also become that occasion by which the infirmed might awaken to an aspect of righteousness to which he or she had not yet apprehended. And only they who admit they’ve been bought with the peculiar price of Innocent Blood; that they are no longer their own to do as they would; and that He, therefore, can do what He will with His own, will delight themselves that their illness has effected this awakening which is not so common, incidentally, among many who profess themselves heirs of the Commonwealth and Covenants of Promise.

So, What to Do!
     According to Psalm 103, there are certain benefits that may be appropriated of Yahweh by such of those who keep His Covenant and that remember His Commandments to do them: His lovingkindness and tender mercies; forgiveness of all our iniquities; redemption of our lives from destruction; satisfying our physical needs; execution of righteousness and judgment in behalf of them who are oppressed; healing of all our diseases.
    Scripture provides formulae to be pursued by those who are afflicted with sickness:
    “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray … Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the Assembly; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Name of the Sovereign: And the prayer of faith shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 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 5:13-16).
    “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, we know that we have the petitions we desired of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).
    And of particular note, is that this approach should be the first recourse, rather than the last resort of a believer for it is still, better to put one’s trust in Yahweh than to put confidence in man whose breath is also in his nostrils (Psa. 118:8; Isa. 2:22). This is not to say, and we mean not to aver that giving attendance to medical practitioners and their therapeutic interventions is forbidden, but it is still the Author of Life Who fearfully and wonderfully created us, and principally to Him, therefore, should we take recourse to Him to fearfully and wonderfully repair us … patient in tribulation, deferring our will to His purpose; setting our time into His hands while at the same time, giving Him no rest via our intercession and supplication with thanksgiving. Hard to do? absolutely, but we are reminded of Yahshua’s reply at Lazarus’ tomb-site when the mourners there, mused among themselves whether He Who testified Himself as the Resurrection and Life could not also raise this one, interred now four days, his body become subject to the worm – He affirmed to them there, “Believe … see the glory of Eloha” (John 11:40).
    So, without question do we have need of faith and patience and, moreover, to resist the temptation to cast away our confidence which has a great recompense of reward (Heb. 10:35). For always, is it a want of faith and patience that preclude us from doing the will of Yahweh and, subsequently, from receiving His promise to renew strength to endure trial. Again, this is not to decry the employment of medical practitioners whose skill-sets are provided them at the pleasure of the Creator, but only that there should first be a remembrance of Him Whose dominion over life is proprietary and, therefore, an endeavor toward discerning the reason for, and cause of, one’s affliction.

1 - The First Practical, Ascending Step
     Effectual prayer is the first practical, ascending step which must incorporate the following criteria:
    • prayer that will properly acknowledge, “according to His will” (1 John 5:14) and, “nevertheless not my will, but Thine be done” (Luke 22:42) properties of what constitutes that which is “effectual”;
    • the intercessor, whether members of the presbytery, the member-in-particular who has summoned their ministry, and the members everyone-of-another whose prayers are offered in behalf of their peer, must certain that they have the ear of the Grantor of their petition by first securing the answer of conscience, that it is void of unrepentant and unconfessed sin because there would be fewer causes from which Yahweh would hide His face and turn His ear, than from any whose prayer is abominable before Him owing to a participant’s outstanding sin; let them first confess their faults one to another, that this enterprise of healing might occur, for it is still that prayer that is offered from the abundance of a righteous heart that avails much;
    • abominable before Him? yes, any who have deliberately turned their ear from hearing His Law, and whose lips presumptuously seek His favor should not expect their appeal will much warrant a favorable response but perhaps much more, an occasion of His chastisement;
    • for this reason, prayer should not be solicited from them who are yet dead in their trespasses and sins, and neither should the one needing intervention have regard for them who exclaim, “You’re in my thoughts and prayers” or, “I’ll be praying for you” as they who dismiss the one who is naked and destitute of daily food, by saying, “Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled” (James 2;15, 16), notwithstanding nothing is proffered the other that is needful – what does it profit?
    • prayer that is clothed upon with a fervent spirit, zealously affected – purposed and intentional, with time set apart for its utterance and not become subject to, or made to become but a part of an activity of multi-tasking – and said, ‘doubting nothing’, ‘nothing wavering’ and possessing but the faith of a grain of mustard seed, yet capable of removing mountains and accompanied even, with fasting as an act meeting that first prerequisite of a disciple of Yahshua Messiah, “denying the self”
    – these comprise the first practical, ascending step toward fulfilling the Law of Love.

2 - The Second Practical, Ascending Step
     As we progress through these seven practical, ascending steps you will notice that successively, each one will demand and command more cost to you – of your time, of your purpose and intention.
    This second, is calls. Nearly every one of us has access to a telephone. Very many carry a hand-held communication device with them all the time.
    It’s true, people who are infirmed don’t care how much you say you care, until you prove that you care. It takes so little time to place a call (and not a text) to one who is sick in the hospital, or convalescing at home; to make inquiry of their estate with a readiness to will and a willing mind to encourage and offer them assurance of bearing their burden – in short, to be a friend in deed and truth and not just one of many who love in word and tongue but who scarcely put feet to their lips.
    Oh, and think not that but one call (and not a text message) will but satisfy your duty, obligation, and responsibility toward loving your neighbor as yourself. Sickness that suspends or precludes one from executing his or her “activities of daily living” can be injurious to one’s mental health and wellness, and at such times, knowing that one has a friend in time of need will contribute very much to an accelerated recovery.

3 - The Third Practical, Ascending Step
     Who doesn’t like to receive a greeting card, intended to convey a message that ministers to the emotional and mental health of the one afflicted with sickness? But as we progress through the seven, more cost will be exacted from the benefactor of good, requiring him or her to get to a Hallmark Card and Gift Center or to the local Walmart or Dollar General store, there to peruse the greeting card aisle to search for that one card that fits the personality of the sick and infirmed, and to take the time to add genuine and sincere words of encouragement that perhaps is deficient in the printed message from the card manufacturer.
    Oh, and don’t forget to include an uplifting Scripture, perhaps from the Psalter, discreetly avoiding such trite and terse words, like, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love Eloha, to them who are the called according to [His] purpose, Romans 8:28, which may arouse in the sick and infirmed a sense of his illness being attributed more to Yahweh’s judgment, than being respected as good and useful to his edification.
    And, of course, hand delivery of such felicitations is more appreciated by the sick and infirmed than an e-mail or dispatch by snail-mail.

4 - The Fourth Practical, Ascending Step
     Chocolate – who doesn’t like chocolate? Again, it’ll cost you a trip to a Russel Stover candy store or your local Walmart to pick up a box of Zachary assorted chocolates. And of course, consider that if your friend is diabetic, chocolate might not be an appropriate choice.
    Oh, and there is a benefit to you, too. Personal delivery of the confectionary to the sick and infirmed, will likely result in the other insisting that you “help yourself.” After all, “breaking of bread” and “eat[ing] their meat with gladness and singleness of heart” (Acts 2:42, 46) is one of the four attributes that distinguished the three-thousand who were immersed on a particularly notable Pentecost. The other three? “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship … and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). It doesn’t get much better than that.

5 - The Fifth Practical, Ascending Step
     We’re still climbing, and we’re almost there … but not quite, yet. The floral industry posits their mantra, “Say It With Flowers.” Yeah, that means a little more cost of your time, and to your hip pocket or purse, as you make a trip to a flower shop or Kroger’s (touted to be the largest floral shop in the world) to search for that special bouquet and vase and card that says it all, “I love you with the love of Yahshua.” If you have a flower garden yourself, it’s acceptable to clip specie of flowers … even, wild flowers with which to shower Yahweh’s earthy grace upon that one for whom you care.
    Oh, and if you do make a purchase from a floral vendor, don’t request their delivery – pharmacies also do the same – but deliver them yourself, so that you can share in the other’s appreciation of this gesture of your love.

6 - The Sixth Practical, Ascending Step
     This next will perhaps require much more of your time, and exact more from your hip pocket or purse than any of the other five practical, ascending steps. Visitation. People in distress much more prefer your p-r-e-s-e-n-c-e than your p-r-e-s-e-n-t-s. Visiting as often as you can and as the other’s circumstance allows, provides you with opportunity and occasion to do personal ministry – becoming acquainted with the other’s personal needs that have not perhaps been met; opportunity to read the Scriptures and to pray for redress of their circumstance; or maybe, just to sit there with them like Job’s companions who wept and rent everyone his mantle, sprinkling dust upon their heads and for seven days and seven nights, kept their quiet vigil of fasting with him in sackcloth and ashes because they saw his grief was most egregious.
    Yes, visitation – what better way to fulfill the Law of Loving Thy Neighbour As Thyself that participating in the other’s duress with a grasp of their hand; weeping with them, and washing away their tears with a tissue; combing their hair; fluffing up their bed pillow; straightening out their bed clothing; assisting them with eating; sitting with them in the hospital visitor’s lounge; walking with them down the hospital corridor; relieving their caregivers of their labor for a time that they may become refreshed themselves, and a myriad of other aid that might be offered during this time of their recovery and convalescence.
    As with the other practical, ascending steps, don’t make visitation a “one-time only” event. The sick and infirmed are dealing daily with the work of healing, recovery, and convalesce, and resumption of their particular “activities of daily living” will occur gradually, as they recover their strength and stamina to undertake these activities.

7 - The Seventh Practical, Ascending Step
     At last, we’ve reached to what might be the costliest and yet, the most rewarding to ourselves and to the sick and infirmed as he or she recovers from their illness and garners strength of life.
    This last practical, ascending step called physical ministry will likely also, capture the notice of men who will have cause to recognize that you … yes, you, have been with Yahshua by the unfeigned love you have demonstrated for your fellow in the time of his or her need.
    Who, wouldn’t want to come home from a hospital stay to find their yard had been mown; their garden weeded and harvested; their mail collected and maybe, in the event of a prolonged hospital or rehabilitative stay, their utility paid from your resources in order to prevent the utility disconnecting the water and gas and electric infrastructure?
    And what about relieving them of meal preparation, or doing their laundry, or driving them to post-care medical appointments that might not be so proximate to their home, or running errands to the grocery or pharmacy, or bringing them to Sabbath Assembly … the cost of which are borne from your own hip pocket or purse without thought even, of being reimbursed by them as they have other fiscal matters with which to be concerned, like medical deductibles and co-pays?

Conclusion
     So, what’s the bottom line? Well, first of all, we’ll have to overcome this being so inoculated with ourselves – looking more upon our own things, pursuing our own gain, seeking our own lives – and looking less upon the needs of others and instead, make our abundance to become a supply to others’ want … if we will save our own souls by being rich toward Eloah and at one and the same time, fulfill the Law of Love that works no further ill to its neighbor through neglect of doing the Commandment.
    Secondly, and become secondary to having done the first work, we are assured of the Supreme Sovereign that through our ministry of redressing the want of others afflicted with sickness, that our own need shall be satisfied if, and when, we too become afflicted with infirmity, necessity, or distress … exactly by the expression of others’ love toward us, so that we can confidently say, as the Apostle, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities … for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor. 12:9, 10) for the power of Messiah, working through my brothers and sisters has sustained my hope, and my faith and affirmed the Truth of Master Yahshua’s observation, that though “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35) His saying expresses but a comparative degree. For it is certainly a blessing to the one sorely afflicted with illness, to receive the giving of others’ selves in the time of his need.