You can listen to this week’s Devotional here
Author: Martha Palmer
If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Ecclesiastes 4:10 10
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:8-10.
I planned a trip to Houston for the weekend of April 20, ostensibly for my 55th high school reunion, but also to see my sisters who both live there. My older sister, Lee, who lives alone, has not been in good health and we have been worried about her for some time. We were all supposed to have a family Sunday brunch, with our cousins as well, on April 21. However, no one had heard from Lee Friday or Saturday, so Sunday morning a friend did a wellness check and found her incapacitated. My other sister, Ann, and I arrived just in time to follow the paramedics to the ER. Lee was in a very bad way, and it was not clear she would make it through the night. I e-mailed my Racial Justice committee to let them know why I would miss the Monday night meeting, and they all began praying. That ended up including Linda and Chris and the prayer group, and heaven only knows how many others. Lee made a truly miraculous recovery (the doctors were astonished) and is now in rehab planning to be home in 10 or 12 days.
I am convinced that the FCC prayers have been lifting her up and smoothing her way the entire time. I cannot tell you how grateful I am and how astonished I am, yet again, by the power of prayer, especially for healing.
I am also amazed, one more time, by the power of connections between people. It was very scary being in the hospital and seeing Lee in such a terrible state. But it would have been so much worse without Ann. We spent 9 hours in the ER that Sunday, leaning on each other. Sharing this experience with Ann, and later with Lee’s son and granddaughter, made it so much more bearable for all of us. It allowed us to spend more time with Lee, to be more present and more cheerful. It was especially thrilling to share her recovery with her and the family and with the hospital staff who were all incredibly compassionate and competent. We are all there is for each other. If other people don’t help us, no one will.
Surely that is why we are here, to help each other up.
On Mother’s Day Chris preached about the importance of friendship and how it is woven throughout the fabric of the world. Surely all the good things in life come from friendships and from connections to others. I have a group of friends from my college Young Life days who meet on Zoom every couple of months. They also knew my sister, and my sometimes-difficult relationship with her. I saw them recently and they got all the nuances of this time as no one else could have. What a gift friends like that are.
Dear Lord, please teach to love each other as you have loved us. To be a friend to anyone who needs us. Amen