The Silver Lining

The past week has been harrowing for our church family, particularly the family whose daughter/sister is in hospital with blood clots in her brain.

I want to dwell, not on the medical aspects of the drama that is still unfolding, but on what it has done to our church family.

The silver lining in the cloud, if you will.

HXUCA is outstanding for its hospitality.

CA and I should know, having been warmly embraced and made to feel welcome in so many ways in the past 2 years.

But after what has recently happened, HXUCA can lay claim to another character trait that would make the Apostle Paul proud.

It is the spirit of unity and purpose that Paul wrote about in the book of Philippians, when he exhorted the believers to look out for each other.

1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
(Phil.2:1-4)

What I have witnessed in the past week has been just that.

On Thu, when the news broke that S was very ill, emails and phone calls helped the rest of the church family keep informed of what was happening.

On Fri night, a prayer meeting was held.

One of the elders had a brilliant idea. She suggested we create a pink-&-purple prayer chain from rolled up pieces of craft paper joined together. Pink and purple are S's fave colours.

The idea was to fill the chain with messages of encouragement, love and blessing, so S could have something pretty that she can see and touch when she wakes up from her induced coma.

What really touched me about the prayer meeting was the attitude of the people present.

Not for HXUCA men and women the stiff, formal, "proper" prayers I'm so accustomed to.

These were earnest prayers, passionate prayers, prayers of desperation, hope, and faith.

Prayers that emanated from deep within the hearts of those that uttered them.

The requests were bold yet humble.

I tell you, I was so humbled and touched.

Had I been an outsider, I would have been immensely impressed and drawn to the Christian faith.

As a fairly recent member of the HXUCA family, I am so proud of my brothers and sisters for the way they demonstrate so clearly and unabashedly how much they love S and want her to get well.

I am so glad to be a part of this loving family of faith.