Prayer Legs

Somebody prayed for me, had me on their mind,

They took the time and prayed for me.

I’m so glad they prayed , I’m so glad they prayed for me.

“Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it?” James 2: 14

“You’ve been in my spirit all week and I’ve been praying for you. But this morning, I said … I’m going to reach beyond the prayer and call you.” This was my friend’s message to me early Friday morning. Her spirit’s intuition was laser sharp and the hour-long conversation that followed was exactly what both of us needed. We prayed over a specific situation and less than five minutes later, the resolution came. Her initial prayers covered me but her taking the step to follow up and directly reach out to me connected me.

The encounter reminded me of the quote from one of my prophets and sheros, Civil rights advocate and justice warrior Fannie Lou Hamer. – ‘You can pray until you faint, but unless you get and try to do something, God is not going to put it in your lap” The sages taught me that after we pray, we need to put legs on it by stepping out in the direction of what we prayed for. Prayers fortify us to take the actions that we are called to do.

During our conversation, my friend shared that she was reminded that prayer is not a substitute for following through on what was shared during the prayer.“For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?” James 2:15-17

This scripture confirms that prayers need legs. After praying, we need to walk in the direction of what we prayed about. There was a man who was a parapeligic and his friends cared and prayed for him. But these friends did something more and put legs on their prayers. They heard that Jesus was nearby and they carried him there. The place was packed and the entrance was jammed, they put legs on their prayers. When they weren’t able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher. Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus eventually healed him and he walked out on his own. I believe Jesus was impressed by those who knew the connection between prayer – God talk and God action.

We live in a world that is waiting for us to follow through on what we prayed for. Prayers fortify us to take the actions that we are called to do. Put legs on those prayers and walk in the direction of the words of our prayers.

My dear friend prayed for me, had me on her mind,

She took the time and prayed for me.

I’m so glad she prayed and put legs on the prayers and reached out to me.

Praying first and walking it out,

Rev. Sheila P. Spencer

Holy Saturday ... In The Meantime

Today is Holy Saturday.

“Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.”

Mark 15: 43-47

“Wait for the Lord;be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

“ … weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5b

It’s the day in between the weeping of the crucifixion and the joy of resurrection. If crucifixion is the departure point and the resurrection is the destination, you have to go through Holy Saturday. It is the day, that by its very nature, calls us to slow down and wait.

Holy Saturday is the mean time, in between time ……. things always happen in the meantime, in between time.

It is the day where it seems that nothing is happening yet everything is happening at the same time. Jesus is in the tomb and all appears hidden. But just because something is hidden, doesn’t mean It’s not important. There is holiness in the hidden. There is power in what we can’t see.

Holy Saturday makes us wait, we can’t edit, delete or go around it. Holy Saturday calls us to wait and it’s inconvenient …. But we are called to wait and sit in this place. Sit in the grief, sit in the loss and sit in the anger. It seems like for the last few weeks we’ve been in a Holy Saturday holding pattern. Waiting in the midst of the unknown. Yet Holy Saturday invites not to rush and to wait.

There’s power in the hidden, when it seems like nothing is happening, yet everything is happening at the same time. The caterpillar cannot transform into the butterfly without being the darkness of the cocoon. The seeds can’t bear fruit until they are buried into the depths of the soil. Some photographers take photos and develop them in darkrooms.

There is holiness in the hidden and power in what we can’t see.

But it calls us to wait…

Take time to wait on this Holy Saturday … take the time to sit in the tomb that will lead to your resurrection.

Resurrection is coming, but don’t dismiss and rush the wait.

Holy Saturday … I will sit with you.

Waiting in this,

Sheila

The Gift Of Receiving

The Gift of Receiving

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” 8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” John 13:3-8 and:13-17

I love spending time with Ms. Cille. She is part of the community of women who adopted me as spiritual daughter when I relocated to my new city several years ago. Whenever I have an opportunity to sit with her and soak up her wisdom, share and pray with her, I always take advantage of it.

  During one of our visits, we sat in her home, shared and laughed.   After having these moments together, she started praying for me. As we held hands, her soft and rich voice soothed my spirit, her words washed over me and peace flooded my heart.  By the time, she said Amen, my tears had already flowed. That was the blessing that I needed to receive. As I wiped my eyes, she asked if I had extra time. I told that I did and was prepared to help her with the task.  She jumped up and said, “Oh Goody! Now I get to do what I was supposed to do the last time that you visited and I didn’t. I asked God to open up another window for me to do it and God answered my prayer!” She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a yellow towel, that she placed on my lap and a box of tissues.  She brought out a huge bag and pulled out a large plastic tub. Seeing my puzzled expression, she looked at me and smiled, “I’m going to wash your feet, Daughter.”

I completely lost it.

                    I broke down, overwhelmed and touched beyond words.  Between my sobs, I told her, “Ms. Cille, I need to be washing your feet, after all you have done for me. No, Ms. Cille, please don’t wash my feet, let me do this for you.”  As she kneeled down before me, she looked up and quipped, “Your middle initial is P – does that stand for Peter?” Well played, Ms. Cille. I nodded my head, realizing my response was the same as Peter’s when Jesus said that he was washing their feet.   She placed my feet in the warm, soapy water and gently caressed each one with tender care. As she washed she said, “Daughter, when Jesus washed the disciple’s feet, he was showing them what it meant to serve. He knew that they would be going out all over the world and serving others. He wanted to be a living example of what they were called to do.  They were called to serve. But, you know I also think that He wanted them to remember how good it feels to receive. Servants are always serving, but we need to remember that servants need to remember to receive… and to remember that it feels good.”

We often say it more of a blessing to give than receive, however that doesn’t diminish the blessing of receiving.

“Gracious acceptance is an art - an art which most of us never bother to cultivate.  We think that we have to learn how to give, but we forget about accepting things, which can be much harder than giving... Accepting another person’s gift is allowing that person to express their feelings for you. “  Alexander McCall Smith

• Receiving gives the giver an opportunity to be a channel of blessing.   Ms. Cille reminded me, “Minister Sheila, you’re always saying that you receive a blessing whenever you give, so why are you blocking my blessing when you won’t let me give to you?”

• Receiving reminds me that I am not in control … Not that I ever really was in control. I have learned the importance of being part of a community that supports and loves.  Receiving is another reminder that we need each other.

As I sat in the sacred space, I was reminded that being a servant involves being humble enough to give and humble enough to receive. Ms. Cille reminded me that one of the greatest gifts we can give is allowing someone the privilege of giving to us.  

Receiving,

Sheila P Spencer

In the Midst of the Fog

Yesterday I woke up to morning covered in fog. It was so thick that I couldn’t see the end of my block. I mentally prepared for a slower drive and a delayed arrival. Fog distorts ,obscures and hides what usually is in plain view. I dreaded the fog, but I knew in order to do what I needed, I would have to venture out into the midst of it. It meant driving out even though I couldn’t see everything that was ahead of me. I remember learning to drive through foggy California days and being told to pace myself. My fog lights would allow me to see just what I needed, even if it wasn’t as far as I would like. It was a journey from light to light. Reaching the traffic light and paying attention to the lights in front and back of you. Even in the midst of the fog, there were lights. It was slower ride but I eventually reached my destination …. Even in the midst of the fog.

Have you ever woken up in a fog? A mind so clouded with unexpected stress. It is the kind of fog that temporarily distorts and obscures our view. It slows me down, but I know I have to go through it and can’t avoid it. Being in a fog can distract and maybe temporarily paralyze you and sometimes you don’t know how you will get through it. But even being in the midst of my fog, I experienced receiving just enough. I made it through by going from light to light. Being in the fog may have painfully slowed down my pace, but I got through. You can’t see the whole path but you survive by going from light to light. It’s like faith.

Making it to the light of being vulnerable enough to share with someone how I was feeling and a safe space to say aloud that I was stressed. Yes, pay attention when the helpers reach out for help. We are not called to be superwomen. That gave me the strength to get to the next light of those who prayed for me and didn’t have to know the details. That gave me the strength to make it to the next light of having a safe place to cry. That gave me the strength to get to the next light of people asking love language questions like “Are you eating?” Food is my love language.

This gave me the strength to get to the next light of sitting down and talking to a therapist … because yes, you can love Jesus , be in ministry and have regular appointments with a therapist.. all at the same time. (smile) And when I looked up, it was better …… but it was because of the lights that God strategically placed in the midst of my fog.

Psalm 23:4 reminds me that we are not alone in the fog. – “Even though I walk through the [sunless] [a]valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.” It tells me that all of us at some point will have to go through foggy moments, that’s a normal situation. But we go through (However long it takes…..) the valley , we’re not meant to stay there and make it a permanent habitation. So I am grateful for the lights of love that comfort and console me in the midst of the fog.

This is what gives me the strength and drive to always offer light when my sisters are in the midst of their fog. We may not see everything, but sometimes God gives us just enough of what we need. We just move from light to light.

Be the light in the midst of someone’s fog.

From light to light

Sheila P.