There has been a lot of sickness in our congregation in the past several weeks. "The cold" with its dreaded cough has been making the rounds and out-staying its allotted time. Some of our congregation have been bereaved, some are facing chronic illness. Many prayers have been said on behalf of our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ. So, this week, I reached into my resource file and pulled out this children's story, as told by a former minister here, on the power of prayer.
The Mysterious Mark on the Wall
The Prime Minister in Britain
during the First World War was David Lloyd George (the Welsh Wizard). His
brother William lived to be over 100 and wrote a book about their life as boys
at home. Their father died while they were still young and it was a struggle to
get an education for the boys.
Uncle Lloyd looked after them. He
was a very simple man, but a great and good man. He was a cobbler who worked
hard to make a living. He also preached in the little chapel and cared for
people year in and year out. He truly loved God, God’s people and his Bible.
When William George married, Uncle Lloyd went to live with him and his wife.
Mrs George was a very good housekeeper, very house proud. She was annoyed to
see a mark on the wallpaper in Uncle Lloyd’s room - a curious mark at a curious
height. She couldn’t understand how it got there and, as the weeks went by, it
stood out more clearly. She tried to clean it off but it could not be removed.
She didn’t like to say anything about it but felt she had to.
Uncle Lloyd had a habit of coming
home for his midday meal
and afterwards going up to his room before returning to work. Mrs Lloyd thought
he was lying down but, one day as she was passing his room, and his door was
ajar, she peeped in and what did she see? Uncle Lloyd was kneeling on a chair
with its back to the wall and his forehead was resting on the wall just where
the mark was. He was praying so intensely that sweat was glistening on his
forehead. That was the secret of the mark!
This explained how he could work
so hard, preach at the chapel and care for his people. His fervent praying was
what enabled him to have such an influence on people including William and
David.
In the Bible we read about a man
of prayer. Daniel prayed beside his window three times a day. Uncle Lloyd knelt
on a chair. It doesn’t matter where we pray but it is important that we do talk
to God and listen to him. That we help others to know, love and serve Him too.
James 5:16 A good man’s prayer is
powerful and effective.
***
The prayer group prays for each member of the congregation on a regular basis, and we thank them for holding us all in their care. If you have a special request, please fill out one of the yellow cards in the pews and place them on the offering plate.
And please, get well soon!
***
The prayer group prays for each member of the congregation on a regular basis, and we thank them for holding us all in their care. If you have a special request, please fill out one of the yellow cards in the pews and place them on the offering plate.
And please, get well soon!
