earthen vessels

God is amazing. I'm really convinced of it. He really uses each of us, despite our weaknesses and insufficiencies, to restore people's hearts to friendship with Himself...

I got a call last Friday from a lady, for privacy purposes, named Leah. Leah explained she is homeless and on disability, but she was approved for section 8 housing recently. She went on to tell me, however, that she needed nearly $1600 in less than seven days for a security deposit - and the county government couldn't help her with this particular amount - so they told her to call churches and ministries. So she was obviously looking through the yellow pages making phone calls asking for money. She did have about $200 towards it and explained she is desperate to get into a place - her van or homeless shelters are rough on her, and her disability.

I responded telling her we at ChristLife don't give out funds for the poor, but, that I would ask around the office to see if anyone had cash. Well, that day only three young adults were in the office. We only had a few bucks.

Leah was so grateful I even asked others to personally give. Then I asked if she would like to pray over the phone. A pause goes by, and she answers "yes." I began to pray and invite the Lord Jesus to show her how much He loves her and to provide for her. After a tangible sense of God's presence, we ended the prayer with a hearty "amen." Leah then expressed her gratitude and gave me her number and said she would really love to help out some time.

Over the weekend that followed I prayed for her and then called her on Monday to see how the fundraising for her security deposit was going. Well, I didn't get a hold of her - and was worried that I wouldn't because she said her phone was going to be turned off at any point - due to not paying her bill.

But, on Tuesday she called and said, "thank you so much for praying with me, without it, I would have given up all the phone calls I was making." Then with lots of joy she said, "I got the whole amount of the deposit given to me by a local church coalition!" Whoa! I must admit, even during my prayers, I didn't have too much faith about her getting that much money in seven days. Praise God!

And Leah keeps insisting on how powerful praying with her was. Which is amazing because I didn't think too much of it at the time. And yesterday she came into ChristLife and I was able to share with her and pray a bit more... She was visibly moved and full of joy. It was as if I was the one who gave her the money; but rather, more correctly, the treasure.

And the incredible thing is that the Lord Jesus could use me in such a powerful way in someone else's life. All of this happened right in the midst of a season where I feel like I'm trying to do a lot for the Lord - but I don't see big ripe juicy fruit yet... Until this. Thank you Father!

If you feel like you are in a similar season as I was or you feel great weakness in fulfilling the mission the Lord's given us, then definitely read 2 Corinthians chapter 4. An excerpt: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us." (vs. 7) Basically we are called to be common clay pots, so people know that when God uses us - that is not because of our special abilities - but that God is working through us!

Do you have an experience where God used you in the midst of your weakness and insufficiency?

Image credits: The first illustration is by Elizabeth Wang, "True Prayer" (CWC 5930) © Radiant Light 2006. The photo of the clay pot is from umamitv a blog on cooking.

Shadows Prove the Sunshine

So begins the fourth song on Switchfoot's album "Nothing is Sound." And isn't it true, somehow in the darkness of this day - we find ourselves looking heavenward with open hands - to the Savior of all mankind?

I went to mass today the second day of the great Feast of Christmas with my girlfriend and afterwards a few guys invited me to go downtown into Baltimore to feed the homeless and pray with them. Brilliant idea!

One interaction particularly impacted me. A man named Tony who was sitting under the roof of some stores. He looked 50 or so. We gave him some food, socks, hugs, kind words, prayer, and medical attention. He was visibly moved, shaken to tears to sobs in gratitude to Jesus.

He used to be an organ player for his church and we closed by singing "amazing grace" with him. Very powerful.

This interaction in the "shadows" of Baltimore really impacted me. As I changed his socks and smelt the urine and funk in which he sat - I knew I was serving Jesus Christ in "the least of the brethren." And he was so blessed by the food, etc. - but it seemed our prayers for him and the song we sang with him - impacted him the most. And not just the exterior fact of our "prayers" - but God himself, I believe, was speaking to Tony - calling him out by name and speaking his love into his heart.

I share all of this to really give glory to God how a homeless man in the shadows can "prove the sunshine." I share to encourage myself, to encourage you, to reach out to the poor around you with your material generosity and with your spiritual generosity. And lets pray for Tony and all those, especially the poor and lonely and spiritually sick, who are far from God's embrace in Jesus this season.

Finally, and fyi the whole idea of combining evangelization and works of mercy is beautifully expressed in a ministry of a couple in the Bronx called Lamp Ministries. Check them out.