The Healing

“There was a man who was paralyzed, and some other men were carrying him on a mat. They tried to bring him and put him down before Jesus. But there were so many people that they could not find a way to Jesus. So, they went up on the roof and lowered the crippled man down through a hole in the ceiling. They lowered the mat into the room so that the crippled man was lying before Jesus. Jesus saw how much faith they had and said to the sick man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Luke 5:18-20

Jesus saw and rewarded the tenacity of these friends. The man was paralyzed and could not move on his own. They tore down the roof and carried him into the presence of Jesus. These friends were going to do whatever they had to do for their friend. There are two important healings that take place. They tore through a roof and all those layers. It did not matter if was a messy process, they got it done. The man can walk out of the space, but for me the deeper blessing and miracle is in the healing balm and power of friendship. Jesus was touched by their faith, complete trust, and confidence in Him.

I am grateful for the healing presence and tenacity of friends. There are moments when I may be paralyzed and numb with frustration, exhaustion, or grief. In these times, I cannot move or pray on my own. They tear through all my layers. It does not matter if it is a messy process. I am grateful for my sisters who spiritually lift me up in prayer and carry me into the presence of Jesus. I am grateful for friends who put legs on their prayers with actions that move in the direction of what they prayed for me. It comes in the form of presence(virtual and physical), intentional listenting and providing a safe space for vulnerability and authenticity. It comes in the form of honest conversations.

Amid our remote world that prevents us from physically being with each other – it does not prevent my sisters and I from spiritually lifting and carrying one another. In fact, this season has made me more appreciativ.

Perhaps one of the miracles is even acknowledging that we need help and each other.

Perhaps one of the miracles is even acknowledging that we need help and each other. The miracle and release of being able to share when we are not okay. One of the most precious gifts that we can receive and send is the healing power of having and being a praying friend.

Today I invite you to spiritually lift your sister-friends in prayer and into the presence of Jesus. Take a moment this week to send, text, write or call a Sister who has spiritually lifted you up in prayer and carried you into the presence of Jesus. Christ will be touched by your faith, complete trust, and confidence.

Grateful to carry and to be carried by my Sisters,

Rev. Sheila P Spencer

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