At Mt. Bethel, we have kept the Capes family in our prayers for over a year now. Jason was diagnosed many months ago with Metastatic Malignant Melanoma, which you may know is an incurable form of cancer.
Two weeks ago, Jason received the results from his latest scans and the news was not good. His condition has gotten worse and he is running out of options. So we pulled out the stops and had a prayer service for the family.
I sent out an invitation to some of our local pastors who have ties to the Capes family and was honestly expecting a small gathering of quiet prayer. I was wrong.
Last Tuesday night, 174 people showed up to pray! With the help of some of my pastoral colleagues, we began with Communion and singing. We prayed over the oil and anointed Jason, Alecia, and the kids. And then we invited others to come and pray.
I told the pastors before we began that I had a plan for the first part of the service - all the way up to the blessing of the oil. I told them that I had no idea what we would do beyond that point, aside from a benediction at the end, but that we would move at the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit moved.
A crowd gathered at the altar, laying hands on this family, and praying from their hearts. I have to say it was probably the closest thing I've ever experienced to what Pentecost must have been like. People, in their own voices, called out to God and God heard every prayer. It was a beautiful moment that displays for you what the Church really is.
We prayed for healing - physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational. Honestly, I don't know if Jason's cancer will disappear - I'll leave that in God's hands. I do know that healing took place that night though. I know that many who were there felt God move in their own lives. I know that the time was used to bring a sense of peace to Jason's family and friends.
Earlier this year, I heard someone say, "The church is what's left after the building burns down." How true. How profound.
We continue, as the Church, to pray for Jason and others like him. We continue to reach out as we are reminded that God has called us to greater things that we can fathom.
3.24.2010
Prayers for Healing
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1 comments:
What an awesome story! I can relate in a different scenario with my son (no life threatening disease, but with special needs). While he is not facing death, and I do not begin to try to know how that would feel as a parent, I do understand the peace that can come from prayers of healing. My son still has his special needs. In our case, I think the healing was actually in me...maybe my son doesn't need healing. While we don't know what God will do for Jason here on Earth, we can be sure in His promise that Jason will eventually be whole. I pray that they will receive peace and assurance from our risen Lord to know that death and disease has already been conquered!
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