An opportunity of yesterday...

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak at the Bloomingdale National Day of Prayer luncheon. The churches in the community provide lunch for the city employees, elected officials and volunteers. This has been going on for 8 years I think. Police officers, firefighters, city maintenance workers all were there to enjoy. It was good to see friends missed and catch up with their families. Kids grow up fast when they are not yours. Yours take forever to grow up but they never leave (more on that in another article).

Being that it was a church/city event preachers and politicians spoke and short is not in their vocabulary. The kicker is we were on a time schedule so the “working” folks could be back on the job in a timely manner. I was told I would have 15 minutes (for me a challenge anyway) at the end. As the program progressed my 15 minutes became 12 and then 10 and then 7.5 and finally 5. Well, I set a timer and still went past time but I talked fast. I had asked the audience to listen fast. You can guess how that went.

That whole process can be aggravating, the pressure of a time constraint and no control over what comes or does not come before. Two choices exist, you can sit and stew about how little time you might have or you can figure out a way to get to the point as quickly as possible. I chose the latter and was good with that. I don’t always choose that well but yesterday I did. I am glad for the opportunity. I am glad for what came later.

A friend said to stop by and see his wife on my way home. She was feeling good that day and would be up to a visit. This lady is a woman of great faith and a great woman. She has battled stage 4 cancer since before 2004. Her appearance was  frail but she was in good spirits and asked about family etc. During the conversation she revealed she has stopped treatment. Asked what she thought about that she said she was at peace. Peace is a great word for she was at peace in her manner and tone, in her questions and answers, and most importantly in her choice. She decided if she was going to feel bad she wanted it to be because of cancer and not the treatment for the cancer. At some level I get that. We chatted for a few more minutes, not as long as I would have liked but I had to go to deliver those babies home to their parents.

In our conversation her husband told of the great number of folks who wanted to pray for his wife and that she would not let them go until she prayed for them. They wanted to bless her and she would not let them go until she blessed them. So, as I kneeled by her chair to pray I said, “you pray,” and pray she did. I spoke a few words and we concluded.

As I drove home a little late for my schedule I saw the events of the day in a new perspective. Schedule is not life and death blessing is. Order is not life and death peace is. Chatting is not life and death prayer is. When life and death hang in the balance what really matters is peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace, the one who will give you rest.

In the end, it’s only Jesus that matters.

In HIS Service and Yours,

BroG