January 23, 2018

Unity

"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!"  Ps. 133:1

We were in a chapel in Florida on a weeknight.  The place was nearly full and we were nearing the end of a program.  The evening had been powerful; the Holy Spirit was moving in strong ways.  As we called for prayer, the pews emptied and virtually everyone was standing together by the altar.  Standing in the middle was a gentleman, very quiet and subdued.  Everyone else seemed to be focused on him.

A few people shouted out, "let's pray for him, he is sick."  And so we all began to pray.  We prayed for his healing, together.  It seemed like the whole place was praying - people weeping, praying, moaning.  Yet it all being done decently and in order, as if the Lord was conducting a symphony orchestra of intercessors - all standing and praying together in agreement.

The prayer went on for some time.  The more we all prayed together, it felt like the faith multiplied.  At one point the man was standing there, tears streaming down his face.  He was the chaplain, the shepherd of the flock at a women's federal prison.  His flock loved him enough to pray for him.  The diagnosis wasn't good.  Yet a year later I returned and there he was - a healed man, to the glory of our great God.

It was good and pleasant to God to see his daughters together in unity, praying as one.