With Us in the Worst of Times

 

Wound Specialist

 

“They just can’t get that wound to heal.” Sometimes it’s hard to heal a wound. That’s why we have wound specialists, people who know the right treatments to encourage the body to mend.  Even with their best efforts, it can be difficult to bring healing. Sometimes their treatments work like miracles, and healing comes even when least expected.

When Jesus heals a man with leprosy in Mark 1, probably no one, except the man, expected Jesus to be his miraculous wound specialist that day. The man is not only healed of his disease, but restored to his place with those around him, his community. This is a miracle in many ways!   The man was so blessed that Jesus passed by that day.

Some wounds cannot be seen, but are still there, like the man being excluded from his community because of his illness. Then Jesus comes by and everything changes for him. What wounds do we and others have that need our wound specialist, Jesus?

This Sunday, June 10, we continue our sermon series on Connecting to Jesus … the Power of Hope, with the story about Jesus coming by and healing the man with leprosy. In this story we discover that Jesus comes by, and is with us in the worst of times. How have you experienced Jesus doing that?

God longs for our world to be healed, as well as individuals and communities. That’s part of why Jesus comes by, so we can be healed and strengthened and then pass that along to those around us, and extend it out into the world. How are we part of God’s healing of the world?

Don’t forget to come by church this evening for Food Trucks from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m., with our Vacation Bible School closing program at 6:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Ninety-five children and many, many youth and adult helpers have had an amazing week at Peace Lab.

Blessings, Sharon

 

P.S.  The meeting of the Desert Southwest Annual Conference will be held from June 13-17 in Glendale, AZ. Please pray for those of us who will attend on your behalf to do the business of our Annual Conference. See my back page article in the June 6 Messenger for a list of those attending.