What to Say?

Pastor Jeremy...
I need to pause just for a moment in order to share a prayer concern.  This morning after complaining about the mundane simple things of life...like teenagers not listening to all the wisdom I wanted to share or toddlers not finishing their breakfast, I heard a story which brought me to a quick repentance and into new life.  Possibly you have noticed the Old Testament cycle of faithfulness, sin, consequence, repentance, forgiveness, new life.

I was able to catch up with a dear Army Chaplain Brother after breakfast.  He and I were a ministry team during our first deployment to Afghanistan.  He has since endured four more.  He is currently serving a Special Forces Battalion at Fort Bragg.  He asked if I had heard what happened there.  I had not so he began to unpack this horrific story of a house fire which had claimed the life of his Soldier and two daughters six and four.  The mother barely got out alive but finds herself in possibly one of the darkest places in all the world; surviving when everyone else did not.  He is her pastor and God has called him to be present with her in this place.

As the tears and Holy Spirit bumps came forth I was in awe with how faithful he was in the midst of such tragedy.  Not many words but God certainly spoke.  I got off the phone and realized how selfish the words I had lifted up to Him in complaint and yet all around me were sacred, holy gifts.

What have your words done lately?  Watch how they play out in the lives of those around you.

Paul has the last word, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  we do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."  (Rom. 8:26-27 NIV)