Fellowship with
other Christians is deeper and richer than other relationships. Maybe it is
because we know we will be spending eternity together! We all share the same
Holy Spirit of God. There is a willingness to love, to encourage and to correct
when necessary, a true unity. I witnessed a deep and abiding fellowship of
friends in action over the span of 35 years.
I was part of a
care ministry team, beginning in the early 1990’s. It was a big commitment, 50
hours of training, a two-year covenant to stay in the ministry, along with
continuing education and ministry meetings twice a month. After the initial training,
we would be paired with someone in crisis. The usual pattern was to set up
weekly visits that could last for up to one year.
One of my first
care receivers was very ill. She was expected to live for only about six months,
as she suffered from congestive heart failure, lung disease and complete
blindness. She lived for six years! I never did take a break from visiting her.
In Christ’s economy, when you want to share in His name, He gives you blessings
in abundance in return.
Over those years of
visiting Marcia, I became familiar with her group of friends and grew to love
all of them. (By the way this is a confidential ministry, but Marcia always introduced
me around church as “my Stephen minister,” so I know she wouldn’t mind me
sharing her story.)
Marcia’s group of
friends had been a part of the same church community for several decades. They
had taught Sunday School, raised their kids around the same time, and several
had sorrowed together over the deaths of their husbands. They had studied the
Bible together and this group of friends rallied around Marcia. They read to
her, brought her food, gave her rides and encouraged her.
I know now that
Marcia and her friends were a part of my training. I had no clue as to how to
minister to anyone, even though my heart was in the right place. This group was
gracious and kind and opened the Bible to me and opened their hearts to teach
me and show me Jesus.
Marcia’s life had
shrunk from a large house to an apartment, followed by a move to her son’s
basement, and finally, to a nursing home and hospice. There came a day when we
knew the time was near for her to go to heaven and this band of friends allowed
me to tag along to say goodbye to our dear friend.
I said my goodbyes
first and told Marcia all she had meant to me and all she had taught me about
being physically burdened in ways I could not understand, yet still being able
to show and share the joy of the Lord.
I sat at a table
off to the side as her long-time friends circled her bed. They laughed and
cried, shared memories and prayed. And then the sweetest sounds came from their
lips as they sang hymn after hymn in beautiful harmony. After decades of
sitting in church pews together, they could have gone on for days. It was a
glimpse of heaven, like I imagine the angels singing. What a sweet remembrance.
There was something
pure and lovely, and holy about that day. It was the Holy Spirit of Jesus
Christ at work in that room. The following verses speak to how the body of
Christ can function. I witnessed the truth of these verses that day.
Let the
message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another
with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to
God with gratitude in your hearts.
Colossians 3:16
Dear Lord,
Thank you for the men and women of faith You place in our
lives to teach us about You. Allow us to share with others the great joy of
knowing You and how that changes us even through times of suffering.
In Jesus name
Amen
