Opening the Vial

I’m often amazed by what I see happen at Faith Apostolic Church.  After just about every weekend service I leave in awe of the great things I see God doing in and through His people.

Last Sunday was one of those days.

A family in our church came to service carrying an unspeakable burden.   Their daughter had just been raped earlier in the week.  I can’t even imagine the pain and confusion this young, innocent, fourteen year-old girl was feeling.  I’m sure her father wanted to find the low-life perpetrator and give him what he deserved.  I didn’t know what to say or how to minister to a family in the jaws of such a deep sorrow and grief.

As we all began to worship, the Spirit of the Lord swept through the building like a cool, refreshing breeze.  I sensed that gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit and, in retrospect, I’m so glad I followed His lead.  I didn’t tell the church the details of what happened, I just mentioned that this family was dealing with a terrible situation and that we needed to pray for them.

The members of our church poured out of their seats and filled the aisles and packed in the rows around the family.  They literally locked arms in concentric circles around them as if to make a human shield that would ward off all the fiery darts of the enemy.  Without even knowing the details of the incident, our church began praying and interceding.  They wept and sorrowed with that grieving family.  Compassion and concern gave way to deep empathy and true burden-bearing.  It was like the whole church shouldered the weight of that tragedy.

God did a miracle that morning.  He didn’t change what had happened to the young lady.  He didn’t take all the pain and hurt away.  He didn’t erase all feelings that she and her family will have to sort through.  But, He did use a church family to minister healing and comfort.  It was like God opened a vial – a vial full of the prayers and tears of the saints – and poured it upon the wounds of that family. Like a healing salve, it brought them comfort.  It eased the pain.  It brought hope and peace. 

The book of Revelation records a scene in heaven.  Twenty-four elders are before the Throne of God and they have vials in their hands which contain the prayers of the saints.  An angel takes the prayers in those vials and offers them up to God.  The aroma and fragrance of those prayers fills the room.  It is a sweet smell that blesses and ministers to God.

The gospel of Luke records a woman coming to Jesus with an alabaster box of precious ointment.  She breaks open the box and pours the ointment upon Jesus’ feet along with her own tears.  Jesus tells the onlookers that by her act of pouring oil and tears upon His feet she was “anointing His body.” 

We know that pouring our tears and prayers out to the Lord is like offering to Him a sweet incense that ministers to Him and blessed Him.  Could it also be that when we pour out our tears and prayers for one another we are ministering to “His body?”  We are the hands and feet of God.  We are the body of Christ.  When the woman poured the oil on His feet, Jesus said, “She has anointed my body.” 

Our Prayers and tears are like incense that ascends to the Throne and blesses God. But, so are the tears and prayers we pray for one another like a healing salve that blesses the Body of Christ.

When our church family began to pray on Sunday for one of our families who was suffering, it was like a vial of salve was opened and poured upon the wounds of that family.  Our tears for them and prayers for them were like a precious ointment that ministered healing and hope.

Ministry like this is so needful in our world that is so full of hurting people. I pray the church will always know how and be ready to “open the vial” and pour out our prayers, tears and intercession for one another. 

 Pastor Ball

 

Please feel free to leave a comment