Seeing is Believing...

This past Saturday I participated in my faith community's monthly community assistance (CA) program. During this time, people who are "down on their luck" (nice euphemism) come to our church to receive a hot meal, some fellowship, some USDA food for those who qualify, a chance at clothing and toiletries. They are with us for a couple of hours and then disappear back into their worlds - as we do to ours.

My role in the CA program is to take prayer requests and pray over them. I also offer to give individual prayer and lead a corporate blessing prior to the meal. In addition, I attempt to meet with each of the groups of volunteers and pray with and for them prior to their interaction with the attendees. This was my first month in this role and I was amazed how my vision changed and how I came to believe different things about this cadre of God's children and aobut the power of belief.

Of the 37 written prayers that I received, about half of them were in Spanish (I'm able to glean some of the thoughts) the rest in various forms of English. Because of the nature of the population we serve, many prayers were for justice and a revision of immigration policy. There were also prayers for jobs or to retain jobs. Prayers for loved ones in other countries and for families that they could stay together. There were also prayers of thanks and prayers for healing and prayers for my congregation for their outreach. Some signed their prayers, some were nameless cries out from the world - hoping/trusting that there is something else beyond their current existence.

So it is that my vision was transformed. I came to believe all over again that faith and hope are always for things unseen (as it says in the New Testament). There was a very touching prayer to return to a person's home country to be with family - but to trust God fully "no matter what the situation". Seeing these heartfelt prayer requests, and taking them into my daily prayer time has allowed my belief to grow stronger. What a great blessing it is to be in relationship with these brothers and sisters!

May your week be blessed as well by interactions with other children of God - take a moment to pray for someone else and see how your vision changes!
Dan