“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
I just spent most of my day at Martin Memorial North a hospital in South Florida.
My morning started with prayer and afterward I planned what I do with the rest of my day.
Those plans were put to a stop with one phone call. Our family friend and sister in Christ Catherine T. had collapsed and was on her way to the hospital. Her family needed our support and so off my mom , sister and I went. Cleaning the kitchen and buying paint for the walls seemed so pathetic in light of it all.
Later that morning I drove to the hospital with food and liquid, my mom was already there and my sister had stayed home.
A short time later I sat in a chair next to her husband Matthew and listened as he talked about whatever. He was in a haze of heartache as he waited knowing his wife was in critical condition. Around me sat other families waiting for their loved ones to wake up or get out of surgery.
I can’t imagine how hard it is for all of them but what I do know is that they were not alone in it all.
God was with them and so was His Bride, the Body of Christ! That morning I texted all the people I knew. Many from my beloved Gospel For Asia, others from previous churches, and still others in different states. These people are all separated by space but we are one in Christ coming together in prayer for a sister. How completely beautiful is that?!?
Then at the hospital a brother in Christ-Will-he does the power point at church and drove down to support them
A little later our Pastor-Greg came, then another sister Jen (from a different church!!) came to sit with the family.
I sat there in complete awe of our God. No other family in that waiting room had non-family members come to sit and pray with them.
As we neared the end of our time there Elaine called and asked if she could do anything. Tonight she is bring all of us Chicken dinner.
Walking out to our cars we were met with Ted and Cindy Joe a couple who had come to encourage Matt and hug him.
Finally home we were met with a note from my sister who had left for work. She had prepared the house and bedroom for Matthew and his girls (he was too shook up to go back to his house). Crazy amazing!!
That my friends is the body of Christ at work. The Bible says they will know us by our love for one another-I praise God that we could function like we were supposed to.
I pray that it doesn’t always take an emergency for us to work like that.
A few weekends ago, I had the privilege to go camping with some other Gospel For Asia staff members. It was an awesome weekend and I learned a lot, and in some ways that I never expected to learn them. Here’s what I learned.
Some of us went fishing. The patience required is much like when you’re waiting on the Lord. You cast your line, in faith, and you wait. You don’t know what’s next, or what’s going on below the water. You just have to be prepared for what could happen next. God’s given us a whole book of instruction, and we even have the instructor living inside of us! We need to be ready and prepared to act when God says to go. Back to fishing… If you get a catch that’s like an answer to prayer, you need to then reel it in so it doesn’t get off the hook, Likewise, even if you don’t get a catch, that’s yet another answer to prayer, you then have to reel in your line and re-cast. God knows what you need, when you need it. So don’t be disappointed when you don’t get the “catch” you want, and when you want it…
I also learned a lot about trust. During the weekend, we went rock climbing and ended up stranded on top of a 35 foot rock formation in the dark. So I learned to trust people that I don’t know very well and it was scary at first, but after a while I learned that I am safe with the rope and harness and someone who knows what they’re doing up top. God’s provided us with all that we need for the tasks He gives to us. He doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle in His strength. That’s like our rope and harness, and God’s up top knowing exactly what He’s doing, all He needs us to do is sit back, and trust Him to get us to our destination safely.
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