Our congregation is one of several that helps a shelter for the less fortunate. Besides volunteering to cook and serve meals, we give stuff. About a month ago, it was decided that we would collect toothbrushes, shavers, shaving cream, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner etc. Several boxes were collected last Sunday and on Tuesday our Pastor decided that he had time to take it in to "The Bridge."
The Bridge closes for an hour each afternoon while the staff gather to pray for the homeless people they serve. As it happened, our Pastor pulled into the ally just when they were closed. He tried the door and it was locked. He walked around the building and looked in a window. He could see the staff gathered around a table with their heads bowed. It's not a great area of town and he didn't want to leave the car alone in the ally so he tapped on the window and interrupted the workers. Indicating he wanted to meet them at the back door he went around back again and when they opened the door, Pastor D. said that he had some donated stuff for them. He said it included several boxes and could a couple of them come out and help.
As he opened the trunk of the car, D. looked up to see the workers staring at each other with wide smiles on their faces. The explanation?
"We were in their praying, just now, asking God for help because we are all out of toothbrushes and shavers and shampoo."
The Bible gives several examples of God beginning the preparation to answer our prayers before we have even begun to ask. He knows what we need before we even know what we're going to need.
For those who are not yet saved, preparation to provide for our needs includes Jesus dying for us while we are still His enemies.
One day, it may be you who sees your need for a Saviour; a need for which God has already provided the solution.
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Mac i do honestly think its wonderful the social side of humanity,and how it can learn to be charatable.And i love this post.And i think for sure you and your friends are all mighty fine people.
ReplyDeleteBut let me tell you a story.I was born into a group of Christians that all read the bible and felt they had the right interpretation, and felt they followed it.But some of it was harsh and there was heartbreak and even broken families through separation and shunning issues, and a number of suicides.
Do you honestly think very many folks didnt often get down on their knees, and pray and pray and praise god and thank him for Jesus who died on the cross for our sins,and asked god for deliverance and change from the heartbreak and trouble and suicides happening?.
Many still do to this very day Mak.Yet its still happening .Been happening about 60-70-80 years or more now.
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Some days when the news on TV forcasts rain for tomorrow,i think to myself, dang it !, damm...bugger...(wish) it would have been fine.
Some times i wake up and whata-you-know ,the suns out and theres no sign of rain.
No prayer anymore Mak.These days i no longer even have faith.
Just saying
My dear man, I'm so sorry that you grew up in a congregation where, besides getting a lot right, they also got a lot wrong.
ReplyDeleteIt appears, however, that you’ve made a grave but common error in judgement.
While Christians “worship” corporately, our “walk” with Jesus is intensely personal.
Looking at people who do it wrong and then deciding to walk away from Jesus because of that is a grave error, Gandolf.
Perhaps you’ve not noticed or just chosen to ignore, but everything that humans touch turns to crap. This is true even of the most glorious message ever, the Gospel of Jesus' salvation. This is true even of atheism. When human nature is turned loose on any philosophy, people are going to die. People are going be hurt. Lives are going to be destroyed.
“Been happening about 60-70-80 years or more now.”
It’s been happening for thousands of years.
Rejecting what Jesus has to say to YOU because of how others who call themselves Christians have acted will ALWAYS - ALWAYS - ALWAYS end in disaster.
In every congregation, we have people (often it includes the leaders) who have gotten caught up in our natural inclination / desire to punish. Whenever we do what we think is right / Biblical, WITHOUT THE LOVE OF JESUS IN OUR HEARTS, horrible, tragic things cannot help but follow.
This is why Jesus came - to rescue us from ourselves.
There is a wonderful account, I think I’ll do a post on it tomorrow, where a Pharisee, someone who kept all of God’s “rules” and more (didn’t lie, didn’t cheat, didn’t steal, was spiritually disciplined; prayed and fasted and read the Bible) was told that he was NOT justified while someone who didn’t dress right, think right, do right etc. but acknowledged that fact “went home forgiven.”
Looking at people who do it wrong and then, because of that, deciding to walk away from Jesus is a grave error, Gandolf.
Jesus is saying to you, as He says to each one of us, “Forget about those who do it wrong. YOU do it right.”
Thanks Mak.
ReplyDeleteBut no i dont feel it was just for reasons of "Looking at people who do it wrong and then deciding to walk away from Jesus because of that "
Because i was looking to see prayer working and change happening through the presense of god whom i had total faith in for many years...As did so many others there within that group.As do so many others from that group still do within their ranks, and also others who have left,they still worship and pay in a very diligent manner in great faith.In full faith that god will answer prayer.
So no Mak i feel you are using wrong judgement of me if you wish to try and suggest i only made my decision just by looking at the actions of others.
I told these storys because you told a story of how you feel prayer honestly works.I told the second story which shows you ive not just looked at actions of others,but that ive looked at and noticed how random things can happen.It can be that i can curse the possibility of rain,and sunshine happens instead.Yet in great faith i can pray for years to god along with many others,for deliverance and change from faith abuse .To no avail.
Mak said..."My dear man, I'm so sorry "
ReplyDeleteNo worrys Mak.Im not here for pity or to hear that folks feel sorry for me.I accept that life is not equal and thats just life and how the cookie crumbles sometimes.