Prayer is job #1 at church. I was reminded of that over the last few days. On Friday I visited a family that is dealing with a terminal diagnosis. When I entered the house I felt helpless in the face of trying to meet their needs and expectations. What could I say and do that could bring hope and comfort to them?
A lot of people think ministers, priests and rabbis have all the answers. That's probably because we like to perpetuate that myth so we can keep our jobs. Well I hate to break it to you but when it comes to answers, I bow my head and punt it to God. You see God is the only one who can help someone understand why they have been diagnosed with ALS. God is the only one who can help somebody figure out why they feel under attack by the devil when they are trying to stay clean and sober.
That's why I say prayer is job #1. That is the one thing we can offer folks in the face of the pain and difficulty that many in our pews face. That's what I brought on Friday. I came with a prayer. When I left I was told how much it helped. Imagine that.
The same thing happened this afternoon at church. A woman stopped by. She was having a bad day. She saw my car and she asked if I could pray with her. That's all she waned. She wanted me to help her connect with God.
I think if we could remember that at church, the pews would be filled each week. I pray that God will continue to remind us of that which makes us different from any other institution on earth. We have the keys to the kingdom and we can open the door to bring people into the presence of God. Good night. See you in church. Cal
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