by Jason Byassee
Jason Byassee
One thing Pentecost means is that the Holy Spirit enables all of us to be like Jesus. We are like the disciples on our own: betrayers, deniers, those who flee. Then the Spirit breathes life into us and we can do what the apostles do in Acts: we can do miracles, preach, love our enemies, and for our purposes now–they can heal.
One of the best parts of my work is the chance to visit the hospital. The place pulses with life, even as it can be a place where the line between life and death is thin. I went today to meet young Chapman Blalock, Lance and Jessie Rose’s second son, and unimaginably tiny and mighty at the same time. New life! I also saw one of our most dignified and gracious older members, who had a fall recently, still radiant in her smile. I saw one of our guests who got hurt rescuing her children from a dangerous situation. She jumped up on the running board of her car to keep it from rolling off the mountain with her kids inside. She was lucky to escape with a broken leg alone, bless her. I hadn’t planned to, but also bumped into another parishioner in for unplanned and unpleasant surgery. We prayed together. Finally I prayed with Andy Ellis before his knee surgery, asking God to restore him to health to lead our youth and church toward Jesus. Five patients, part of an afternoon, the first day and the last phase of life; a courageous hero and a couple of maintenance surgeries.
Prayer is not healing. The doctors and nurses handle that part, thank God! But God is our ultimate healer, our great physician, and none of us gets out of this life alive. But prayer shows us Jesus is with us at every phase of life and will raise us to perfect bodies one day.
I was with Leighton Ford at a retreat recently. He is Billy Graham’s brother-in-law, and a treasure trove of stories of his own life and evangelism as well as his older mentor’s. He told a story of his daughter Debbie, who had breast cancer for the second time. She was naturally nervous, and as she headed to the hospital again she dreaded being there. Walking down a long hallway for tests she saw an old man in a wheelchair and sunglasses at its end. As she got closer she saw it was her uncle, the famous evangelist, Billy Graham. He was in for tests too, and had learned when she would be there and was there to meet her. She collapsed in his arms and said that was the best sermon he ever preached–not on the platform or in front of millions but with her in her weakness and in his, for prayer.
By the Spirit’s power we can do what Jesus does. We can be part of the healing he brings to the world. In our church there are several ways to do this: you can be part of our prayer team. You can come forward and kneel for healing at communion. You can visit in hospitals or nursing homes with pastor Jeff. He brings his kids to show them while they grow up that visiting the sick is something Christians do. You can apply with Jeff McClain (care@booneumc.org) to be a Stephen Minister. This may be our most important ministry of healing and it needs our best people–maybe you.
It won’t be just you doing it. It will be Christ working in and through you. Just think of your relief when you see someone you love ready to pray with you when you need it. And sign up to be that for others this Pentecost.