This week was a week of serious life and death issues. What to say? How to pray?
This week was intense. Attended a funeral showing for a young man who overdosed on heroin. Participated in a group prayer session for a friend with aggressive brain cancer. Was a mediating presence for a hostile visit between split family members. Wrestled in prayer for many hours for someone who attempted to end his life. Counseled and prayed with a hungry heart wondering about confession and the gift of healing it promises. Was at the hospital a good portion of the day today for my friend with brain cancer who has taken a sudden turn due to infection. Through each situation, I was asking the Lord so many questions.
What do you want me to say? What do you want me to do? How do I pray?
It is amazing how awkward and ill equipped I feel the further I go in this call of prayer and ministering. There is no denying I see myself as weak, unable, and desperate for God’s intervention.
There is a common response I got from the Lord for all circumstances, whether in situations with believers or unbelievers, with those with hearts that love him or with those with hearts blinded by upset, self will and/or radical unbelief.
”MERCY.”
Last week’s blog revealed a picture of tender touch as a root definition of mercy. In the post “God has a womb, meditate upon and enter in“, it was shown that the root definition of womb is mercy. I thought about both alot this week. I had those pictures of tender, holy touch in my mind’s eye. I envisioned people being carried in God’s womb, that safe place where there is nourishment of nutrient rich blood and supernatural breath from the umbilical cord of Christ. I cried out for mercy for those who do not yet know His mercy nor realize their need for it.
Christ is mercy. His touch heals. He offers his flesh and blood as a hiding place, a supernatural womb for new life, renewal, nourishment, transport and safe delivery to Heaven, Colossians 3:3.
He touched the lepers. He touched the blind outcasts. He let women touch his cloak, his feet, his head. He touched the deaf and mute. He touched his disciples feet to serve them. He touched the demon possessed. He touched the little children. He touched the dead boy, the dead girl. He let himself be violently rended by the wrath of God’s touch so that we do not have to receive that touch of God’s anger. Christ is mercy. Everyone needs his mercy.
So many are lost, so many have very skewed views of life and death and life after death. It is too much to process everyone’s views, too much to negotiate. All God is asking me to focus on is crying out for mercy, asking for His mercy upon others, and demonstrating His mercy as I follow.
Christ is the power and wisdom of God. His weakness is stronger than any human’s strength and his foolishness is wiser than any human’s wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1:24-25.
What king establishes a throne in love, Isaiah 16:5? Christ alone. You will find no other king who does so. He is not the will of the people or himself, He is the will of God the Father in Heaven, John 6:38.
Yes he was the King, is the King, will forever be the King who established his throne in love. He is the only one who willingly stripped himself of His heavenly home to bow at our feet and serve us, to be sentenced and humiliated and tortured. What can we suffer in comparison? We can join him in sorrow and affliction and suffering, weak and desperate for power from on high. As we join in his foolish way to procure salvation through suffering, as we join in his weak way of putting others above himself, we also become the wisdom and power of Christ. We overcome darkness and despair with mercy.
The highlights of this week were moments of His mercy displayed. I experienced with fellow believers crying out for mercy to extend the life of one of his precious children and in another circumstance for one yet to know God. I experienced it while praying with a sister-in- Christ burdened with wanting to know the healing power of confession in fellowship. Mercy was present while singing and worshipping in a critical care unit at a bedside of a friend, her dedicated husband and another loving friend just praising and believing in the goodness of God. Mercy was present as I was alone with Christ in my prayer closet at home, in the hospital chapel, confessing weaknesses and being strengthened by His presence and Spirit. Mercy made himself evident when I was being silent and just listening to anger and tears of some, taking many opportunities to offer a gentle touch in prayer or just while listening. He gave me alot of mercy this week. Through the Holy Spirit he helped me extend some of His mercy to others. Worthy is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Think about the mercy of God. His healing touch, his promise to hear your cry for mercy. Go into your prayer closet and sing and worship and cry out. Come forth to extend his mercy in his weakness, you will be stronger than any man’s strength. Demonstrate the foolishness of Christ and be wiser than any man’s wisdom.
Christ, the power and wisdom of God.
Jude 1:21- keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
