This last Sunday we studied prayer in our Sunday morning classes. In preparing for the class and reading the book with Andrew�s notes, I was taken back to the birth of our twin grandchildren. Mercy had died on Monday and it was now Friday. Both families had stood vigil during the week hoping for life. As we entered the room for the last few moments of Grace�s life, a sense of hopelessness grabbed my mind. A rush of sadness and pain flooded over us all. My mind screamed, �why�? We saw Casey holding her daughter who had passed and tears began to flow. The grief was unbearable. I know many of you have lost as we have and words cannot be spoken that will relieve the pain. As we stood there holding each other, the minister from Sycamore View, where Casey and Ja attend, came to visit and encourage, but as he entered he saw and realized what had just occurred. After a moment he bowed his head and asked us to pray. It was at that time I fully realized that God is our strength and our hope. Of all the things we needed most he knew that we needed to talk to God. We were lost in the pain and he helped direct us to the true source of our strength. He concluded and hugged us all and went. The time seemed so fleeting.
The verses we studied last Sunday were brought to life that day. James 5:13 �Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray� and its conclusion in verse 16, �The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working�.
That memory is so vivid. I will never forget what the minister did for us that day. I wrote this for the class because I knew I would not be able to relate the story in class. The flesh is weak.