A Pathway to Healing Through Prayer

It’s hard to match the excitement of football on weekends in the fall. From Friday-night lights on the high school gridiron to autumn Saturdays in sold-out stadiums across the country to Sunday match-ups that feature our favorite professional team, football is ingrained in our culture this time of year.

It is a high-intensity game with thrilling acrobatic plays as well as bone-jarring collisions, and those collisions often result in a range of injuries. Fortunately, most of these well-conditioned athletes heal relatively quickly from their physical wounds, although many deal with pain long after their playing days come to an end. 

Regardless of whether you played football or not, all of us deal with pain of one sort or another — physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual — and very often the healing process can be agonizingly tedious.

So the question becomes, how do you heal, and how do you help others overcome pain and suffering? We know that the Bible is filled with examples of and references to healing, including this from Psalm 147:3, which states that our God “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” The Book of James (5:14-15) tells us that “faith in the Lord is the key to receiving healing.” That passage continues in verse 16 with a reminder about our responsibility to help others heal by “pray[ing] for one another.” This helps all of us to heal.

Pain and suffering are unavoidable realities in life, but prayer is the great elixir, so as Matthew West says in one of his popular songs, “Don’t Stop Praying!”

An Unexpected Blessing

As you may know, we delivered new blankets, courtesy of the church, to the Salvation Army and One-Eighty on Monday of this week. Both agencies were very grateful for our donation, but something else happened that afternoon that we did not expect.

After delivering blankets to One-Eighty, we couldn’t help but notice two women sitting outside the facility. One of the women in particular caught our attention. She was sobbing almost uncontrollably. We decided to approach her to see if we could provide assistance, and she proceeded to tell us that she was homeless and had no place to stay that night. The three of us looked at each other and without saying a word agreed that we had to do something. We put the woman who was homeless up in a local motel for two nights while purchasing a meal for each of them because they had not eaten that day. This spontaneous response was not something that we planned to do. It just kind of happened when we realized that the plight of the two was very serious, and we could not stand by without getting involved

It reminded me of the Scripture that I have referenced many times from Hebrews 13:1-2, which advises us to “keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

I could not help but think that these two women were angelic in their own way. They were both downcast and in despair, and yet they were very grateful to us, and they expressed their faith and gratitude to God as well.

We wrapped up our serendipitous encounter by holding hands and praying that they would find long-term shelter. When we left, we were uplifted by our experience, and wondering how God might use us next.

The Good News Was Never Meant to be Frightening 

Halloween is more than a month away, but I am seeing an increasing number of outdoor displays throughout our community, and it’s still September. Makes me wonder where people get the time, not to mention the money, to purchase and put up these displays.

What fascinates me most is that these are adults engaging in this practice, not for their children, but for themselves. Do people really enjoy being frightened; do they really want to scare themselves and others? 

I’m okay with Halloween, but I’m old enough to remember it as a one-night event, not a month-long celebration. What’s all the fuss? I guess I’ll never know, but when it comes to scaring others, I think the church has been guilty of that for many years. Charismatic preachers and televangelists rage about hell’s fiery flames with such messages as “the end is near,” or “repent or die.”

As I mentioned during our service at the lake a few weeks ago, I’ve never been a fan of that approach. Not only is it unappealing, it’s downright threatening. I believe that a softer, gentler tone is much more effective.

Jesus himself set the tone for a gentle approach when he said this in the Gospel of Matthew (11:28-30): “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ should not be menacing, but rather warm and inviting. So let us all remember to spread the Good News with a compassionate spirit and a tender heart.

Faith at the Fair and Throughout the Community

Despite having been a Wooster resident for 40 years, I had never attended a show at
the Wayne County Fair. I don’t know why, but I never got around to it. That all changed
this year, thanks to the incredible generosity of Bob and Rosie Troutman, who provided
some tickets, including two to the performance by Christian musician Matthew West.
What a show and what an experience!

The 47-year-old West brought incredible energy, enthusiasm and inspiration. He also
endeared himself to the crowd with a narrative that included humorous references to
Ohio and the Fair itself. He even took the time to learn how to pronounce “Wooster”
correctly.

Each of his songs were rhythmic and meaningful, including such titles as “The God Who
Stays,” “Truth Be Told,” and “I Trust Jesus.” He also reminded all of us that no one is
perfect and that we all need God’s grace in the song, “Broken Things,” and he
concluded the show with the very moving song, “Don’t Stop Praying,” which encouraged
all of us to never give up because God will never give up on us.

The uplifting concert reminded me what a special community we have in Wooster and
Wayne County. We are not afraid to proclaim our faith in a public setting, and I think that
sets us apart from many other places. Are we perfect? Of course not! But are we
sincere and genuine? I believe we are, and I believe that God’s presence is visible
throughout the city and the county — just one more reason why this is such a special
place to live.

The Clock on the Wall and the Passage of Time

I have great respect for people who are always on time. Sadly, I am not one of those people. I always seem to be running a little late, including my efforts to start our worship service on time.

I used to be able to blame the clock in the Narthex, which had remained constant at 6 o’clock since I came to Oak Chapel five years ago, but all that changed last week when a very thoughtful visitor offered to have the clock repaired at no cost to the church. Stuart then remounted the clock, and we are now back in business.

As I reflected on this recent experience, I started to think about how important time is in our daily lives. We talk a lot about being on time, managing time, saving time, making up for lost time, and a host of other sayings related to time.

Ironically, there’s not much we can do about or with time. The clock continues to roll on despite our best efforts to slow it down or stop it. Time is an intangible reality. The one thing we can say for sure is that we never know how much time we have left, but rather than fret about it, we would be wise to make the most of the time we have and to allocate adequate time for rest and relaxation.

Scripture gives us plenty of valuable advice in this area, including this passage of wisdom from Ecclesiastes 3:11, which advises us to acknowledge that “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

There’s no point in trying to manipulate time; just enjoy the time He has given us and use it to honor and glorify his resplendent name whenever we can.

Lessons in the Dirt to Help Smooth Over Our Differences

My father exposed me to Major League Baseball at an early age. He would take me to rustic old Forbes Field several times a year to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates, who were actually pretty good back then. We would sit in the right field grandstands so we could
watch the great Roberto Clemente in action, but my interest went beyond what the
players did. I was mesmerized when the grounds crew would come out before the game
and midway through to manicure the field and smooth out the dirt. When they finished
their work, the infield was perfect — until the players stepped back on.

In life, we really need to take time to “smooth things out” for ourselves and in our
relationships with others. The Good Lord calls on us to live without fear and in peace
with one another. In order to do that, we need to smooth out the rough spots, both in our
own lives and in our interactions with other people.

In order to do that, however, we don’t need a tractor or a field grate to drag behind it.
Instead, we need a simple commitment to the God we serve and a pledge to obey his
foundational commandment — to love our neighbor. Think of how much smoother our
life would be if we simply loved each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Love also
begets forgiveness, and that is critical for we are to forgive others if we expect God to
forgive us.

The next time you go to a ballgame, watch the grounds crew. They hold the secret to
smoothing the field. Likewise, if we watch and follow the Lord, he will help us smooth
out the rough spots in life.

Just When You Think You Have Seen It All

The XXXIII Summer Olympic Games will get underway this weekend, beginning with the opening ceremonies tomorrow night, July 26. During the next two weeks, many of us will gather around our television sets to watch our favorite athletes and teams go for the Gold.

I’ll be watching the swimming competition as well as men’s and women’s volleyball, while Sheri will likely focus on gymnastics. But there is one “sport,” which I’m not sure is even a sport, that I just learned will debut at these games, and that is breakdancing.

How in the world breakdancing became an Olympic sport is beyond me. The thought that a fad that died a merciful death in the 1980s has somehow come back to life is beyond me. But someone thought it would be a good idea to make it an Olympic sport this summer. 

I guess the old saying is true: Just when you think you have seen it all, along comes something that you could not have imagined. 

All of this is a long-winded way of saying that we should always be ready for the unimaginable, including the day when Jesus returns. Will there be “wailing and gnashing of teeth” as stated in the Gospel of Matthew? Will he be checking off names from the Book of Life as mentioned in the Book of Revelation?

The honest answer is “I don’t know,” but I am looking forward to experiencing his resplendent glory, and I would encourage you to do likewise. None of us wants to talk about the end, but let us be reminded that this end represents a new and everlasting beginning. Therefore, it is important that we not only keep the faith, but to also strengthen our commitment so that when that day comes we will not be taken by surprise.

An Invitation to Sacred Worship and Reflection

Everyone knows that there are 24 hours in a day, but ask someone how many hours there are in a week, and most would likely scratch their heads and try to quickly — and
probably inaccurately — multiply 24 times seven in their head.

If you’re still trying to figure that out, the number is 168. That’s right, there are 168 hours in a week, but sadly, most of us spend just one of those hours worshipping each week in church. It saddens me that so little of our week is spent in the sanctuary. I wish there were a way we could gather there more often, perhaps for morning prayer, afternoon devotions, or evening vespers. 

Whenever I enter our church, I immediately feel the presence of the Holy Trinity — the warmth and wonder of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I also remember those we have worshipped with over the years and those who have gone before us — the Chamberlains, the Gilmores, the Housers, the Jolliffs, the Martins, the Metcalfs, the Silvers, the Walters, the Warners, and so many others. It’s almost as if the experience is a precursor to what we will experience in the afterlife — a reunion with our dear departed family and fellow believers.

I know that it is unrealistic to think that we could gather in the sanctuary more often than Sunday morning and special occasions, but if you ever feel the need to reconnect with God in a sacred setting, there is usually someone here from 9-noon Monday through Thursday, and don’t forget the Serenity Garden, which is open 24/7. You are always welcome here — inside or outside.

Celebrating Our Faith with a Joyful Noise 

When I go to my recently expanded pillbox, which I do twice each day, I don’t break into song about the prescriptions I am about to take. Quite the opposite in fact. But when I sit down in front of my television set, I can’t help but notice the growing number of prescription drug commercials that come with catchy jingles. The last thing I feel like doing when I prepare to swallow my pills is sing. Only in America would people celebrate prescription drugs through song. 

When it comes to our faith, however, we are encouraged to rejoice by singing. Even if we don’t have a trained voice, we are invited to “make a joyful noise!” True, most Americans are not inclined to celebrate their faith this way, including me because I do not sing well at all.

Still, we are reminded to be joyful. For example, Psalm 95 invites us to “Sing for joy to the Lord” and to “Shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.” This is a message for us to be bold about our faith and not be reluctant to boast about our relationship with the Lord. Psalm 71 further encourages us to joyfully proclaim our faith with this passage in Verses 23-24: “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you — I whom you have delivered. My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long.”

It is, indeed, not just acceptable, but also advisable to celebrate our faith with joy and thanksgiving. So don’t hold back. Let the Spirit move you, and raise your voice to the Lord!