Let me start off my sharing that I have a shoulder injury.
No one really knows about it and you can’t tell by looking at me that I have
the issue. It’s only noticeable when I’m trying to lift something over my head.
Okay, backstory complete.
A couple of weeks ago, I was a part of a meeting with some
other ministers and some representatives from an evangelism organization. I had
met these representatives a week before when they had done a brief discussion
about what they do. They had passed out some bracelets and bibles to the group.
As we were about to start an evangelism series with our students at my church,
I asked the guy where I could get more bracelets. He simply handed me a big bag
of them and said, “Here’s your starter pack of bracelets.” I thought, “How cool
is this?”
So, in this next meeting, they gave us a bit more about what
they do in the communities that invite them. Afterwards when we were just sitting
around the table chatting, the guy points at me and asks, “Aren’t you the one I
gave a bunch of bracelets to?”
I nodded and said, “Why, yes I am and thank you so much for
them. They are going to be very useful.”
He then asked, “Do you want a case of bibles?”
“Um, yeah!”
So, when the conversation ended, I walked with him to his
car. He grabbed the box of almost 60 bibles and then walked me to my car. He
loaded them into the back for me. I thanked him profusely and explained what we
were going to use them for. He said that he was excited to give me these tools
and couldn’t wait to hear how the training went.
He then started to walk away.
He stopped about 3 feet away and turned around. “Um, I have
to ask. Is there something wrong with your shoulder?”
I was surprised by the question. I replied, “Um, yes. I can’t
lift my arm up past my shoulder without help.”
He said, “Wow, I just felt the Holy Spirit wanting me to ask
you that. Can I pray for you?”
“Of course, you can.”
He came over and put his hand on my shoulder and prayed for
healing. When he was done, he asked me how it felt. I was able to lift my arm all
the way up to press my arm against my ear. It was still sore but didn’t hurt as
much. I told him so. I said thank you and he went on his way.
Now listen, guys, before you think I’m all crazy and stuff,
let me explain something to you. My shoulder felt better for only about an hour
and half. Today, as I write this, it hurts just as much as it did before he
prayed. But that’s not what I’m concerned with. I grew up in the era of Jim
Bakker and Benny Hinn and always just rolled my eyes. I believe that God can
heal but I don’t think He’s gonna do it just to line the pockets of the healer.
It would also be super easy for me to say that it just didn’t work because an
hour and half later my shoulder pain was back. I could mark it as a hoax or my
adrenaline tricking me.
I’m not doing that though. Instead, I think that guy did get
a prompting from the Holy Spirit for realsies. What that tells me is that in
that moment, the Holy Spirit was concerned with me.
The Holy Spirit was concerned with me.
I believe that the Holy Spirit was making itself known as
being active in my life.
If the Holy Spirit can fix a shoulder for a little bit, then
it’s going to be with me when I’m sharing Jesus with someone.
It’s going to be
with me when I’m scared because the power just went out due to a thunderstorm.
It’s going to be with me when I’m joyful because I’m getting to spend some time
with a friend I haven’t seen in a while.
Those couple of minutes with that guy demonstrated to me
that the Holy Spirit is concerned with me and is as active in my life as I will
let it be.
I am also confident in this: If the Holy Spirit is concerned
with ME, of all people, then it is also concerned with YOU.
