For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 ESV
I have rarely (Okay maybe never) shared an actual message from the nursing home. This week I am making an exception because I am hoping that the content give a helpful peek behind the curtain of life in long-term care. Some of the story is raw, because the problems, the struggles and the hurts are real, but God offers a sacrifice that came at a cost far more graphic and terrible because of His love! Each week we have 30 precious minutes, to sing, to pray, to preach and to visit. May this testimony be an encouragement and a blessing to any of you who dares to share the hope and grace of Jesus in a long-term care facility in your own community.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life John 3:16 ESV
Marie* wants to see you in the cafeteria after the message” they told me. Marie suffered from Parkinson’s Disease that often leads to depression, and that afternoon she was so depressed that she hadn’t come in for our song and prayer time at her nursing home. As I went in to sit with Marie, she began to cry and took hold of my hands blurting out, “God hates me!”
She felt isolated from the outside world, because no old friends ever came to visit, no family came for her birthday or Christmas. “What in the world can I say?” I wondered. What good news do I have to share with her?” Then I remembered the verse we all learn in Sunday School, and I said, “God loves you, Marie! Because the Bible says, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…” At those simplest of words, Marie calmed, her face brightened, and she happily listened as I took my guitar back out of its case to sing her favorite hymn, “In the Garden”, and afterward we prayed together.
Maybe you aren’t in a facility, and don’t have Parkinson’s, but at some time in our lives we all face moments like Marie did. No one understands our hearts, and it feels as if God has turned His back or simply forgotten about us. In those darkest of moments, we have to remind ourselves that just as God did not forget Marie, He has also not forgotten us. Though we may not be the richest person in the world, we have its richest hope, because we have received the lavish gift of God’s love. We also need to remember that there are Marie’s and Bettys, Bob’s and Joe’s all around us every day. There are people we bump into at the store, on the street corners or even in our family, who desperately need to hear about the hope of God’s love. Yes, “God so loved the world!” So, why not pass that great hope of Jesus on to others today?
The service last Friday at Life Care Center was really special. One of the highlights for me was a visit from a teenager named Lindsay. Lindsay is a special needs child whose mom is one of our volunteers. She was super excited to be there but nervous, so she sat at a table near the back with her counselor. About halfway through the song session, Lindsay was loving the music, but her emotions became a bit overwhelmed, so she began expressing her joy with loud vocalizations. I couldn’t see exactly what was happening, but I was told later that, before anyone got too worried about the situation, one of the residents wheeled herself over to Lindsay, and with a smile, gently took hold of her hand to calm her. I was so blessed to hear of how God used that circumstance as a perfect demonstration of how Jesus wants to connect, one generation to another through Him. The exuberance of youth, the joy of worship and the gentle patience of this precious older woman all blended together in those moments to show the love of Christ in action.
I believe that Jesus on the Main Line is the song that set those wheels in motion, so, I hope you will enjoy listening to an abbreviated version of it along with a few words on the subject of prayer. I pray God will bless you, hear your prayers and connect you to others this week in the wonderful love of Jesus!
praise2worshipdotnet 
You must be logged in to post a comment.