Seems like I've been non-stop all week. Phew!
Today had a special blessing. The "Rolling Thunder" choir you hear me speak about went on the road today. Their actual residence is at Lakeland Continuing Care Center in St. Joseph. Today, they joined us in presenting a service at Jordan's Nursing Home in Bridgman ... about 10 miles from there.
This is no small feat. All the regular members are bound to wheelchairs and need extra care to get ready. So, they have to arrange staff, plus a nurse attendant, plus a driver. Then, to be sure everyone is at Jordan's for a 10:00 service, they need to be getting everyone started by 8:30.
Since this group was a "special event" for us, Donna prepared a special Healing Service. Typically, we provide a mix of hymns and spiritual songs and scripture. It wasn't too different, except that Donna did most of the "front" work (talking and music leading), while I went among the residence and prayed personally over each one.
I did offer a message on healing. Briefly, I used the account of Jesus feeding 5000 with a few fish and loaves of bread. I offered that fresh bread is beautiful to the eye and pleasing to smell, but it must be broken before it can be eaten to give us strength. Likewise, Christ was also broken, in order that His Spirit might flow out of Him and give us strength.
This is important: God uses brokenness to pour out blessing. When we feel "broken" in spirit, emotion or body, be mindful that this is a place where God very often uses us to pour out His blessings upon others through us.
I also said that regarding God's healing, we kind of have to think about it human terms. Imagine someone in a serious accident. When they get to the ER, the doctors focus first on the vital organs, then on secondary wounds. Finally, the person might need some counseling to deal with the event. In terms of spiritual healing, God usually works with our spirit first - that is the immortal part of who we are, then He will use that strength to heal our emotions & minds - that is the part of who we are that others see, finally, He will tend to the physical part of us. It's not that the body is unimportant or that He doesn't care about the pains and sorrow in it, but our bodies will eventually grow old and die. It is the least important part of who we are.
Anyway ... a Spirit of Peace was over the entire service. That was blessing. Also, one of the aides, who is Seventh Day Adventist, skipped her worship service time to volunteer to be with us for this. She told us that our music was a blessing and greatly affirmed my speaking from scripture. For those of you who know me personally, you can imagine how important an affirmation that was to me. Abba is very good, indeed!
Just finished cleaning out the back shed. The grill is hot. Time to start cooking dinner on a very beautiful Michigan day!
Comments (4)
The analogy between the loaves and Christ... I've never heard it put that way. I like it. = ]
I'm glad the service went so well and was affirming to both your hearers and you. It's a great ministry, to reach out to the elderly. May God grant you words and actions that touch their souls. There's great wisdom in what you say.
What a beautiful analogy Brett! This was a very special post, thank you for sharing with us. (Can't wait for a video of "Rolling Thunder").