|
Isaiah 61:1: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the
Lord hath annointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he
had sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to
the the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are
bound;"
About a year after I was called by God to preach, a door of
opportunity opened up for me to preach at a local nursing home.
As I walked down the hall to the chapel area, my eyes were
filled with tears of compassion for the condition of the folks I
encountered. Over the next few years, the Lord opened doors in
nursing homes in several surrounding cities whre I ministered
for a season. Yet, this first nursing home I preached at was to
remain part of my ministry for fifteen years.
One thing about nursing homes is that the folks come just as
they are. Some in wheelchairs, some on walkers, some walking or
being pushed in wheelchairs by another resident. It was a
supreme effort for many to be at a church service and the Lord
looked with favor upon our times together. I had to be the choir
director, the Sunday School teacher, the special singer, and the
preacher. The Lord surely taught me many things during this
ministry.
We never took an offering, yet one particular lady would always
present me with something. It might be a penny, a soda cracker,
a piece of candy, or a coupon for something. She had a nervous
breakdown when her Mama ran off with her husband. This special
lady had been well-educated, she could speak Greek, could play
the piano, and sing fairly well. She would always dress in her
choir robe when she came to the service. I believe the Lord has
a special place in Heaven for folks like her.
Brother Dixon would be at the front waiting on me to arrive. He
couldn't or wouldn't talk but when the songs were being sung,
he'd sing right along with everyone else. His favorite was
"Amazing Grace". When I would preach and state a truth, he would
shout "Amen" and "Right about that!" Other than that, he
wouldn't carry on a conversation. HIs job was to carry my Bible
to the chapel. When he saw me, he would give out a great big
smile and reach for the Word. He would lay it in his lap and I
would roll his wheelchair to this spot. He always wanted to be
right in the front. The "Amen corner" I called it. He's been in
Heaven for some time now but his faithfulness, despite his
handicaps, remains with me forever. He was an inspiration.
Charlie was a cripple with a severe speech impediment. His mind
was sharp and he loved the Lord. He especially enjoyed the
songs. When I first met him, he was a bit grouchy but over the
years, the Lord did a great work in his life. He became a sweet
brother in Christ. I got to where I could understand some of his
speech. When I would ask those folks to remember my Mama in
prayer, tears would roll down his cheeks as I saw his lips move
in prayer. He would always ask, "How is your Mama?" One of his
favorite songs was "Hallelujah Square", particularly the verse,
"I'll see all my friends in Hallelujah Square, what a wonderful
time we'll all have up there, we'll sing and praise Jesus his
glory to share and there won't be a cripple in Hallelujah
Square." He knew one day he would be made whole and would be
free from his crippled body. Last year, 2002, the Lord called
him home. I had the special mission of preaching at his funeral.
He was a dear friend and I'll see him again one day.
Over the years of the nursing home ministry, I've seen many come
and go. Not all died, some recovered and went back home. Some
were transferred to other facilities.
Many of these precious people had a really close relationship to
the Lord. Their hardships had made them draw near to the Lord
and exercised their faith. I'm glad those people prayed for me.
Isaiah 61:3: "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give
unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the
garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might
be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that
he might be glorified."
About the author:
author of My Walk with the Lord, www.selahbooks.com, preacher,
retired military
|