Thoughts on loving God, loving others, and serving the world

I had another thought prepared for today, but I heard a story yesterday that demands telling.

I went to the hospital to visit a family with a new baby. It is one of the very enjoyable things I get to do on occasion. The brand new baby with such happy parents and grandparents was beautiful as you might imagine. As I was leaving the hospital, I ran into a member of our church who was on the way in. I asked why she was there (sometimes there is a concern I need to know about). And, then she told me this story.

She had gone to the hospital to see a friend. While there, she met a woman who was in crisis. The woman, who was from out of town, had a very ill husband in Intensive Care. He was not far from death. Our member saw this and felt moved to ask if she needed prayer. She said “yes,” and the prayer happened for this isolated, in crisis, lost woman who was far from home. Later it was discovered she attended a Methodist church in her hometown, and this connection with our church, through our member who typified spontaneously our mission statement — love God, love others and serve the world — became a channel for God’s grace in this most unlikely place. Jesus entered a time of tragedy through the alert, open and willing heart of one of His followers, just the way it is supposed to work.

Following Christ is not rocket science or something reserved for the professional and the trained, just the willing. I hope that I am just as willing today to love God, love others, and serve the world as Laverne was.

Category: Weekly Thoughts