It was healing Sunday. I know that may sound silly, God heals all the time but at New Hope Anglican Church we have a different service the last Sunday of the month. Our service is focused on praying for the healing of others, anointing with oil for the sick and hurting and laying on of hands. The holy scriptures tell us that God desires us to be whole and well. He wants the best for us.
We were blessed to have a visiting priest with us, Fr. Brian McVey from Saint Alban's Church in Davenport Iowa. Brian is a national leader in the movement to eradicate slavery in North America. He is a brilliant preacher. He has the gift of healing and has literally prayed over people who were dying and has witnessed them coming back to life. But what is most amazing about this man is that he has a sensitivity to the movement of the Holy Spirit and has learned how to humble himself before Almighty God.
He was scheduled to preach today and just before the service he was invited to hear such a powerful story of healing that he simply said "she has to preach today".
Here is what he heard.
Dorathy had a very difficult upbringing. She was estranged from her father for 20-plus years. There was good reason the break but God is redeeming the years the locust have eaten. God is healing her and her healing has a domino effect. She is living what God is showing us at New Hope Anglican Church; God is making pearls of Great Price out of us all. This is not always comfortable but the end produce is magnificent.
Last week Dorathy did the heroic, she sought our her father and a relationship that only God could heal. She forgave him and asked him to forgive her. But God gave them both even greater gifts;
She was raised an atheist by this man yet she still was wooed by Jesus. Her heart has pined away for him and she prayed daily that one day she would be reconciled to him, and that he would be reconciled to God.
Unbeknownst to her he had been wooed by God and had been praying that one day he would meet his daughter, be forgiven and be reconciled.
She sought out the help of her brother to find him. With address in hand she went to his house and in an act so strong that the earth stood still she rang his doorbell. She stood on his doorstep a mere 12 miles from her house and when he finally came to the door he thought something was drastically wrong. She told him a brief story and simply said I want to ask you to forgive me for abandoning you. I forgive you for all that happened. After he could speak again he said "I can die a happy man now"
Today Dorathy stood before our entire little church and shared the story of the prodigal son in real-time. There are no mortal words to express what happened today as this simple, short story fell on the ears of us all. Many understood what they had to do in their own lives,
God is real. His mercy is good. He is restoring all things. Thank you Jesus for healing Dorathy Smolkis and her family. You are so good and we praise you.
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And well done Dorothy!
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