Yesterday was surreal. It sent me into deep prayer and contemplation. There are just those moments in your life you’ll never forget, you’ll never lose sight of, they can be faith shaping moments for the good or bad.
Yesterday, I got up and did the usual, get ready, get dressed, get the kids ready, sit down with my phone, read some news as I eat breakfast and check my facebook. To my great joy, one of my buddies had their second child and I got to see pictures on his facebook profile. I was so excited for them. It reminded me of the eternal and abundant life that Jesus came to give each of us. It reminded me of the new creation once we receive that life that He, by the power of His Spirit, seeks to transform and remake us back into, back into His image bearers. It’s beautiful when there is new physical life, like a baby, it’s more amazing when God transforms our lives by His Spirit.
Then the surreal hits. I won’t forget it, ever. I am sitting at a meeting and around 11:15am, someone walks into the room and asks how much longer the meeting is going to be. I could tell someone was going on. She said, the hospital had called and there was a family who had just lost their 10 month old child who wanted someone to come and pray with them.
Amid the flood of emotions that began to encompass me, I left the meeting and went to the hospital. On my way there, I am praying, trying to hold back my own emotions. What do you say to a family you don’t even know and who doesn’t know you from anyone? I just kept praying, God, be my words, be my actions, let your Spirit have it’s way in me.
I walk in to the hospital. I walk back to the family…and there is this little one lying on a bed, no longer with us. At that moment, so much was going through my mind, but 2 things immediately became so clear, praise God, the first one is He is risen, the tomb is empty. Even though I don’t understand, that little one is with Jesus right now. Folks, that is not something we should celebrate once a year it is something we should celebrate every day of our lives. He is risen! There is so much in those 3 words. Life never ends for those in Christ, earthly life ends but we weren’t made for this world we were made for the next, which is true life.
The second was, the Lord is my shepherd. His great care and love for each of us is beyond words.
So I prayed and to be honest I don’t remember what I prayed but those 2 components were all over it. I offered if they needed anything to let me know. I offered the assurance that their little one was with Jesus because of the empty tomb.
I left. I wept. God and I had a very long silent conversation which was pretty powerful. When you don’t have words, you don’t need them. I continue to find that some of my most powerful moments of prayer are in silence.
If you are reading this, your going to hear it again on Sunday because it ties right into my message.
Folks, He is risen! I pray you know that today and what that means for you.
I pray you know how much He loves and cares for you.
I pray you would pray for this family and for God to reveal Himself to them, to restore and heal them, to love them with an everlasting love.
