Jesus: "Those who are well do not need a physician."

Here's something to think about for a Tuesday! This past weekend as I was privileged to minister to the inner city African American mission I was reminded once again that one of God’s primary purposes for His local congregation is for us to bear one another’s burdens. (see Galatians 6:1) The folks in that mission come with no pretensions and they allow their heartaches, hurts, pains, and sorrows to be known. One particular older lady came forward at the end of the service and she was crying her heart out. She is not in good health, her adult children are messed up with all kinds of trouble, and she is left to try and help them as best she can as well as trying to see after her grandchildren. On Sunday the strain was just too much but praise God she was able to fall into the arms of Jesus as myself and the others there did our best to love, comfort, and intercede on her behalf.

I thought how different this was from what most Church meetings are like in our so-called modern sophisticated religious world. I would have to go all the way back perhaps to my childhood days to remember a Church gathering where people poured out their hearts to God and openly sought the help and prayers of their brothers and sisters in Christ. Don’t get me wrong, we do offer help to those who are hurting in our fellowship but the image of someone literally wailing out to God is not one I can easily picture. This is somewhat sad since history tells us there have been times when the Church was first and foremost a place for the hurting and not just a meeting of a special club.

We encourage people to be open, transparent, and honest in their expressions of need. However, I’m not sure we are equipped to deal with the reality of this happening. I could start with me. I typically am reluctant to share burdens with others and often excuse not doing so because many others have greater needs. That may be nothing more than a cop out because if that spirit of reluctance prevails, very few will be willing to share the great burdens that we all deal with from time to time. I can tell you the folks at that mission lay it all out whenever it comes time for prayer requests. Some are big needs like children and grandchildren who are unsaved and mixed up with gangs, drugs, and other illicit behaviors. They talk about health issues and financial needs like being able to buy gasoline or pay their light bills and meet their basic needs. Some seem small but when you think about things like having no air conditioning for two weeks while temperatures have soared into the high 90’s, well that is something to pray about.

But they didn’t stop with just pouring out their needs. They gave glory to God for the progress they had made in the small as well as some big things that had happened in their lives. They spoke about how some help had come to them from an unexpected source and wanted all to join them in praising God for His goodness. Some expressed that with all their troubles they were still so much better off than many and because of that they wanted to thank God for being there for them, day after day. I had worked hard on the lessons I prepared for them. I always try to do my best, with God’s help to bring His very voice by using His word to communicate truth. However, when I leave that place I always feel like I’m the one who received a blessing. I’m the one who learned something. I’m the one who is humbled by seeing God at work in these people who live in very difficult circumstances. Please join me in saying a prayer for Sister Ella and the rest of the folks at the True Light mission. Amen. …..More later.