September 23, 2009
When 8 year-old Little E’s started having terrifying nightmares despite their best efforts to shield him from distracting TV or reading influences, his concerned parents turned to God. His mom and dad wanted to set an example for little E and his younger siblings that when in trouble it’s best to turn to God and prayer. Both parents work but on that particular Wednesday night after the nightmares began, their days off coincided and they were able to both bring themselves and the children to House of Prayer Experience.
They asked to be anointed.
Although Little E thought it was a strange concept, he read about it in James 5:13 straight from the new Bible that his parents had gifted him with that evening. It’s like when your Mom or Dad give you a kiss goodnight on the forehead, I told him. It is a way for us to remember God’s promise for his healing presence to be with us. The whole family was re-dedicated to the Lord. As pastor Derek Morris prayed a special prayer for the little boy and for his family, peace flooded the eight-year old ‘s heart.
We prayed for spiritual protection for our families and children that night after Pastor Derek read Ephesians 6’s appeal to ‘put on the armor of God’.
We also prayed for God’s intervention for an infant born prematurely as we gathered around a prayer quilt for this baby boy and his parents. His concerned grandmother had asked for a prayer quilt. Another symbol of God’s panoply that will be wrapped around someone’s beloved child.
Nothing can stop the people of H.o.P.E from reaching out to the God of the impossible on behalf of friends or guests! Peter and his family have recently been joining us. -You’re only a ‘guest’ for the first few seconds you come:) – He came to prayer meeting with a deep concern for his wife, Cas who had to leave suddenly out of town to be with her mother only to discover that the situation was more serous than anyone had anticipated.
What if the people that Wednesday night allowed Cas and his mother- in- law to hear the prayers on their behalf via his cell phone?, Peter wondered.
Pastor Derek prayed with Cas and her Mom over the cell phone as her husband and little daughter looked on. We prayed for other parents going through hard times. At the end of the prayer, the congregation said a loud ‘Amen’ and they received in return the woman’s expression of gratitude as we held the cell phone up to the microphone.
When I think of Little E’s smile and his expression of faith as well as the grown-ups who cried out to God that night, I think of how God’s hope is for everyone regardless of age or background or distance. God’s promise of spiritual protection is real. He’s reaching out to us, let’s reach back out to Him and believe in the good dreams for a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11) that He has for us!
Praying for our joy…and hope for the journey.
-Pastor Sabine
One more thing- we received a note from Little E’s dad on Facebook:”Thank you (…) to all at the House of Prayer:
E had a great night!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH….”
