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2.25.2004 Sacred Appointments and the Medicine of Faith I think we have all experienced meeting someone whom we felt destined to meet. I call these sacred appointments, and sometimes I pray for them. I got this idea from Bruce Wilkinson’s book The Prayer of Jabez. In fact, that is how I met Aidan’s family at St. Jude (www.caringbridge.com/ky/aidan) last year. On my trip down to Georgia last week, I found that I was a little uncomfortable with the thought of flying down to Georgia. I decided to displace my fears about flying, by asking God to use me in some way on the trip. Then, I actually started to look forward to my flight because I fully expected to meet someone who could use listening ear or inspiration. I have to admit that I was incredibly disappointed when the gentleman sitting next to me on the flight down to Georgia buried his head into a paper and never spoke a word to me! Oh well, I figured God had something or someone else in mind. Little did I know that my sacred appointment was actually scheduled for my return flight. I sat next to a very friendly gentleman who was an oncologist and who had lost his wife to pancreatic cancer 9 months ago. Obviously, we had a lot to talk about, including the difficulty watching our loved ones suffer, compassionate medicine, and life without our loves. I enjoyed our conversation, and I know that he appreciated someone to talk to because his life seems very lonely. He shared the following story with me that I thought I would share with you. One of his patients is a Mennonite Farmer who is very poor making roughly $9000 a year. The farmer was diagnosed with cancer and was given only 6 months to live. Despite the poor prognosis, the farmer pursued treatment for his cancer, and the doctor obliged. The doctor was criticized by his colleagues for the treatment he gave the farmer. They saw little reason to treat the cancer when there was little chance it would do any good and no chance the patient would live. But the doctor told one of his colleagues, “It is going to work because I believe it will work and this guy (the farmer) believes it will work!” The key here is the belief that the doctor and the farmer share is the belief in the healing power of God. Actually as you will read, it goes a step beyond just the healing power of God. In the 3 years since the farmer’s diagnosis, the farmer has been able to secure another farm where he has built a warehouse that is used to collect and store missionary supplies used in missions around the world. The farmer was able to do this despite his cancer, despite his poor prognosis, and despite the fact that he had no money!!! What an amazing farmer! What an amazing doctor! What an amazing God!!! God can work miracles through you. I encourage you to pray for a sacred appointment. Ask God to use you. Be amazed at who God brings into your life and be amazed by what God can do through you if you are willing to accept the challenge. Scripture God can, “do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” – Ephesians 3:20 Quotation “Attempt something large enough that failure is guaranteed… unless God steps in.” – Bruce Wilkinson Prayer “Oh, that
you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand
would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may
not cause pain.” Amen.
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