“Should I encourage her to come?” I wondered to myself. Fifteen minutes before Vision Rally (September 23, 2016) started, my carecell member Aries texted to say that, after a long and difficult day at work, she had a sudden, acute abdominal pain and would not be coming to church.
A
s a new carecell leader, I didn’t want to come across as unsympathetic or to disregard her well-being. However, that night, I decided to encourage Aries to give her pain and tiredness to Jesus and to come for Vision Rally. To my surprise, Aries replied that she would come! Shortly after Aries stepped into the Sanctuary, Vision Rally started and our guest speaker, Reverend Dishan Wickramaratne, did something that I wasn’t expecting. Before starting his message, he asked, “Which of you among us has pain? Stand up and let’s pray for one another.”
Reverend Dishan called for those who had received healing to go on the stage. About 65 Trinitarians went forward to testify of the healing they had received just minutes ago! Among the healed was an elderly lady who had suffered a fall several months ago. Before Vision Rally, she needed a walking stick. Now, she was able to make her way up to the stage without it. Praise the Lord! There was a spring in her step, a new energy that filled her body and spirit. Reverend Dishan used this moment to teach us an important truth: There are no superstars in the Kingdom of God, only children.
When many rose to their feet, Reverend Dishan commented that we were a very “pain-full” church. Laughter filled the Sanctuary. Aries turned to me in surprise and jokingly asked if I had told him about her pain. As the congregation members came together in prayer, Aries’ abdominal pain disappeared! She repeatedly poked her abdomen but did not feel that debilitating pain that was there less than an hour ago. Her eyes lit up in amazement.
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