Saturday, December 5th Neele Ryan
Luke 9:1-6
9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere. The disciples are about to experience the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus in a new way by living and walking by faith, by trusting in His power and faithfulness, even in his absence.
Sometimes in life leaving everything in the hands of God can be scary and uncertain. When Cyrus was a year and a half he was medivaced from Mary Washington Hospital to the Fairfax PICU in respiratory distress. Things went from really bad to uncertain of him surviving. His heart racing on machines providing oxygen, helium and breathing treatments his little body was under terrible stress.
I remember being with my mother and her calling my grandfather to ask him to pray for Cyrus. I called Gene Gee to ask for him to let our Bible study class know to pray for Cyrus. My whole family and Sean’s were all at the hospital constantly with Cyrus praying. As the doctors were getting ready to put him on ECMO machine (life support) my grandfather called my mother. He told her that while praying God answered him telling him that Cyrus would suddenly wake up as if nothing was wrong that God said he was to go on to do bigger and greater things in Life. I cried saying I sure hope so but not really believing – How did he know? Why did God answer him! I was angry and scared and my faith was put to a test!
My mother-in-law had called her church priest to come pray with all of us ( to give Cyrus his last will of rights.) At that time father John and Pastor Charles came to pray with the family as we all gathered in his tiny glassed in room praying – Cyrus suddenly sat up in his bed smiling and saying Hello as if nothing at all was wrong. – My Grandfather was right!
I believe our prayers, and such strong belief of faith and love of Christ that day is what made that happen! As we all were singing God grant you many years I felt God’s embrace!
We are all called to be Christ’s disciples and to a life of discipleship. We can all minister for Christ to make an impact, to care for others and to share with others our faith. Trust God that he knows our needs and hears our prayers. He is truly the beginning and the end. “True love can only be given if True love is received.”