Midweek Moment

Today was a very interesting day. Prior to this morning, this day was scheduled and waiting. My to-do list was full, do-able but full. My appointments were many, do-able but many. It was going to be a neat and tidy, busy day. And it actually started out that way.

Then 10:30 A.M. arrived. Two men walked into the office and introduced themselves as former members of the church. They looked at me, and knew their time here was before my time here. They wanted to know if the United Methodist Church, this church in particular, could send someone out to pray for their father, another former member of this church.

I asked them a few specifics about their situation, including their names. As soon as they said it, I recognized the name. I have gone through our roles of members; active and inactive. I recognized their name. After I understood what they were asking for, I stopped what I was doing here and I went with them to visit their father in the Hospice House.

When we got there, we went in, I visited with their dad, and then we prayed. It was a nice visit, and I think for him a nice stroll down memory lane. We talked about the church as he remembered it. We talked about the people he remembered and a few of you are still here! He shared wonderful memories with me about this church.

But it was the conversation with his two boys that really impacted me. When we arrived at the Hospice House the brothers stood with me outside for a bit and just reflected on what they were feeling. They were obviously very upset that their dad had progressed to the point that Hospice was necessary. The chaos of the situation had kind of left their worlds spinning off their axes. But what they shared next, thinned the veil between Heaven and Earth for me. They were driving by the church, on their way to see dad, when one of them looked over, and remembered this church. They remembered going to Sunday School here. They remembered the inside of the sanctuary. They remembered that this place was a place of good memories and happy times for them. They remembered that their mom and dad were married in this church. The one son told me he was convinced that God took them by our church for a reason. After this revelation, they stopped, came in, and made their request.

Folks, the actions we participate in for the Kingdom of God are never forgotten. Today is proof of that. In times of distress people will remember the good done to and for them. These two men remembered the lessons they were taught here, the good times they had here, and the love they were shown here. They came back today for that very thing.

Two men I had never met before, after prayer and reminiscing, after showing them the grace and love of Jesus Christ, ended our time together with a hug. They were not hugging me as much as they were God. I was simply a tool, a vessel.

This is not what I had planned today. This is not what I had time for today. But it is what God guided me through today. Days like this, even though the circumstance was awful, shows that God is still in control. Please, never forget that!

Have a great week and I will see you Sunday!