This morning the choir room was full of bright shining faces engaged in sparkling conversations of every topic and interest. A large room such as this was necessary to accommodate for the swelling crowd that weekly attended the Adult Sunday School class for Life Long Learners. Although a narrow majority of the participants were seniors she felt welcomed and always gleaned practical insight from God’s Word that she could apply to her daily life. Life? Not a very good one but none the less that is what she called it.
Each week this young mother had to press past all the negative circumstances in her life battle for the opportunity to gather with other believers. This past week had been particularly hard but with determination and expectation of experiencing the presence of God she quietly sat in her seat trying not to ease drop on the prattle around her. As the class began and everyone had been welcomed by the teacher, she declined to offer a prayer request of her own. Certainly no one would want to know that she had doubting her faith again and feeling God had abandoned her in a great hour of need.
Finishing the teaching False Teachers found in Second Peter, the instructor read Peter 2: 17-22:
"17These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 20If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit,"[f]and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud." New American Standard Version.
At the end of class she could not remain silent any longer. This young mother told the class that she could strongly identify with this teaching and how she had been tempted several times that week to walk away from her faith because it was just too hard. Crying now she asked for prayer. The teacher asked another woman near the woman in the class to begin praying for her. Several women immediately formed a circle around the young mother and prayed as the remaining seventy or so class members joined in prayer for her in their seats.
After a few minutes of continued prayer some may have become uncomfortable but a strange thing happened. Suddenly the woman leading the prayer began to cry herself. It was not a loud cry but none the less piercing our hearts. Then for the next several minutes this lady cried out on behalf of her sister. In the moments remaining The Holy Spirit had already done His unique work of healing and comfort.
Reflecting upon this experience over the last few days has caused me to consider, “Is there anyone out there who would cry out on my behalf if I were in the same shape as that woman?” How about you? I hope so. But let’s turn the question around. Are you wiling to cry out to God and weep with someone else? That is an equally troubling question. I have had the privilege of doing both with my parents. It is both a humbling and incredibly affirming experience. The Book of Ecclesiastes chapter three verse four reminds us that there is a time to laugh and a time to weep. Why is it that we love to laugh but despise weeping? Both are instruments by which The Holy Spirit can bring great comfort and refreshment. My challenge to you all this week is to search for someone you can cry out for. Better yet cry out with!
