The past number of weeks, Kent and I have been pretty sick. 4+ weeks ago, I battled E.Coli for 5 days. 1 week later a cold/flu hit and us and I was off work again for 3 days. Poor Kent was on a business trip and had to keep working. When he got home--we literally fell into bed for the weekend and didn't do a whole lot.
We ended up not being in church for 5 weeks--and no one seemed to notice. The pastor didn't phone, we didn't get any messages except from people we work for. I was shocked...and miffed and missing Derek in West Kelowna who literally took attendance during his sermon--we knew in West Kelowna we were missed.
I went to church with a lousy attitude last week--but I felt that part of my lousy attitude was due to my lack-o-attendance.
I walked into church buoyed and hopeful.
During the service I had this total God moment.
A man in front of me went forward for prayer with the pastor. It was to me just a thing that we do, I don't really pay attention to who goes forward at all--but because he was right in front of me--I noticed.
He came back to his chair and a few moments later, I heard God say, "pray for him."
In my head I responded, I don't know him.
I heard, put your hand on his shoulder and pray for him.
I said, Is this really you God? I don't want this to be me...why don't you ask Randy, he's right here.
I heard, You will start, Randy will join in.
I said, I don't know what to say.
I heard, utterance. I knew that God would give me the words.
Then, I started getting hotter and hotter. Unbearably hot. Like, I feel like I might faint hot.
So, I put my hand on his shoulder and immediately, from my head to my feet I returned to normal temperature. Then, I sang out the song that the band was playing and I said, ok, it has to be you--I have no words.
Then, from deep within me, my mouth moved. I was humbled to be used in this way. And a few moments later, I felt Randy, who was sitting beside me come over and lay his hand on the man and pray.
After the service was over, the man I prayed for turned around and thanked me. I told him it was ME that should be thanking him, I think I got more out of this than him.
Later this week I got a message that that man was at his Doctors that week and his Doctors told him to go home and get his affairs in order.
I don't know all the ins and outs of what happened Sunday, but that conversation I had with God lasted a couple seconds...and I was reminded that delayed obedience is disobedience.
I have one issue that follows me in my life here--that I am that one in church, a little exuberant, a little out there, the weird one.
When I told my pastor that he said, we're all weird. Thankfully, he was right, we are all weird.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to pray for,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit,
because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance
with the will of God. Romans 8:26, 27
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