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Published: March 31st 2010
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The three Sundays that we were in Chennai, we led three church services at the same leper colony. We drove about 1 ½ to 2 hours both ways to spend an hour at the colony doing an hour-long service. The first time we did the service, I thought that it was ridiculous that we were driving more than we were actually staying there. But that changed very quickly as we did our first service.
How we prepared for these services is we prayed and asked the Holy Spirit’s leading on who should preach, give their testimony and which drama we should perform. The first Sunday while we were praying, I received this sense “Somebody is going to say that I need to preach, I want to preach but I have no idea what to preach on!” Well, that was the Holy Spirit because Hayley, Jordan and Lisa all felt that I was suppose to preach but didn’t know exactly what. Lisa said that it was I that needed to sit down with Jesus and seek him on what I was suppose to preach on. Nate was going to tell his testimony and one of our dramas “The Way” would be
Children of Lepers
Nancy and her Husband Jesudas. Nancy's Father is a leper and is also one of the church leaders at the leper colony we did the church services at. performed.
That afternoon, I got with Jesus and started flipping through the New Testament. I looked at Matthew 6:25-31. I prepared something on that, notes and everything, it seemed to be going really well and I thought that that was what I was suppose to preach on. Then while we were on our way to the colony, I realized “What am I doing? What I have prepared doesn’t really apply to them at all!” I was going to tell them that when they get money, they should to ask God what to do with it. Sometimes, God would want them to give it to someone in need. But then it dawned on me, these lepers are in need and they don’t have any money! Again, I realized this on the bus on the way to the colony. Wow, did I really listen to the Lord? I put my bible and notes down and just leaned back in the seat and started thinking through each part in the drama trying to think of how I could tie in the sermon to it. I talked to the Lord “Jesus, these lepers are in need. They have nothing. If they need something,
Praying for a Leper
Meenakshi is a leper I prayed for during the first church service. they need to ask you for it and wait patiently for you to bring it to them in your time.” Ask, seek, and knock. Those were the words that after I said this to the Lord, came to my mind. “What is that verse?” I could not remember. I looked in the small concordance in the back of my bible but couldn’t find the verse. Then I asked Nate if he knew the reference of the verse. He knew that it was either in Luke or Matthew. We both started flipping through those books praying that we would find it. Well, we did find it, Luke 11:9-10. After that, words started flowing into my mind of what to say for the sermon. I didn’t have time to write them down though because we had arrived at the colony.
This was the first time I had seen lepers. They are such beautiful people! They all started coming out of their houses as the bus pulled in. The smiles on their faces, wow, it made me smile and I got off the bus and just went to them and started hugging them. We went into the church and Jabez introduced our
The love of Lepers
This leper woman was so appreciative of Hayley praying for her that she could not stop hugging her! team. He and all the lepers started singing worship songs in Tamil. They were all so joyful! After that, Nate, Lisa, Jordan, Hayley and Tierney performed the drama, and then Nate gave his testimony. Through both of these, I just kept going through what I was going to say and realized how well it went along with both of them, but that didn’t calm the nerves down raging inside of me! Then it came to my time to preach. Jabez called me up and I thought that my heart was going to jump out through my mouth with as hard as it was beating! Then, as soon as I started talking with the words that Christ had given me to tell to these needy people, I felt a surge go through me like nothing I had ever felt before. It was like some sort of energy was flowing through me and out of me! There was complete peace within me, Christ had heard my inner cry “Jesus, I need you to calm me!” The words just kept continuing to come and flow out of my mouth so smoothly. I knew that it was not I speaking; it was the Holy Spirit working through me. Praise God! I didn’t have any notes, just my bible in my hand open to Luke 11:9-10, that was it. I always have notes because otherwise I lose my train of thought and stumble, but not this time. God wanted to show himself through me. When we truly yield ourselves to the Christ and the workings of the Holy Spirit, amazing things can happen. My hope and prayer is that you and I will always remember to yield so Christ can continue to work and pour out of us in any situation.
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