prayer works

...in amazing ways.

This morning I and two high school guys (Jordan and Kyle) went over to Pastor Ray's house and washed his cars. A month or so ago Pastor Ray had quintuple-bypass surgery and has had a couple complications since (pacemaker put in and then a stent put in...so 3 operations total). As a church body we are trying to take as many burdens off of he and his wife, Sharon, as possible since, with his operations, they already have a lot to worry about. So the Elders asked me to organize the washing of their cars every couple week for the next several months. Today was the second time we've done it.

After we washed the cars, Pastor Ray invited us in to visit for a bit. Visits have been generally discouraged because if too many people visit him it will tire him out and not allow him to rest up and heal, but since he invited us in we accepted. It was good to hear how God has been at work. After the doctor put the stent in, he looked at Pastor Ray and said, "God has been at work." The stent needed to be put in because one of the bypasses from the first surgery had become kinked. The kink was more than a simple kink and even the nurse said she had never seen anything like that operation. Pastor Ray had told the doctor, "You have been bathed in prayer for this operation." It showed.

What hit me though was Sharon's side of the story. I have been praying often for them and one of the things I've been praying is for peace for Sharon through all of this. Sharon told us that during his surgery she was anxious and her mind was wandering into what horrible things might happen, but then, she told us, that she felt God saying, "I will keep you in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Me. Trust in Me." That's from Isaiah 26:3. I was amazed when I heard her say that, because that is one of the specific verses I have been praying for her!

In my head I know that prayer works. But when I actually see it work...I am amazed at our God who hears our prayers and answers them. Praise Him!