Jesus' Love in Action

A woman, whose Doctor had sent her into the nursing home because of its reputation for great physical therapy, struggled to roll herself to the Chapel.  She'd heard the announcement Sunday afternoon that the Worship service would start at 2 p.m. and she remembered the Chapel was at the other side of the home. The announcer said, "The Chapel message today is 'Jesus Is Our Everything.'"  By the time she'd made it 3/4 of the way to the Chapel she felt like her arms would fall out of their sockets.  She was so tired of rolling herself she just quit.

Seeing her from a long way off, the Spirit filled volunteer quickly found her and slowly continued her roll. He told her that the place they humorously called the Sardine Chapel was just up ahead and warmly encouraged her to fit her wheelchair in the back outside the entryway so she could hear the singing, preaching, and Holy Communion.  She was late.  She'd heard them singing three songs already; O How I Love Jesus, What A Friend We Have In Jesus, and I Need Thee Every Hour.  She hated to be late and she was last too.

Nothing had gone right for her lately.  She couldn't sleep right at the home, couldn't figure out the t.v set controls, couldn't find food that tasted, couldn't find her toothbrush, and couldn't stop the aching in her body- especially her left shoulder.  It hurt like the dickens after the Doctor had set her collar bone for the second time in a month.  Two heart attacks had caused two falls, two breaks, and now she was banned from walking until her legs got strong again.  She'd been to Church every Sunday of her life until now.  She'd missed three Sundays and she felt hungrier than she'd ever been for Church again.

As she rolled up to the small Chapel nineteen were already stuffed inside.  Sardine Chapel it was!  She heard the last of the chorus being sung, 'O bless me now my Savior, I come to Thee.' The minister looked right at her and said, "It takes some of us a long time to get to the Chapel and I have this sticker-ribbon that says 'WINNER' on it and you are the winner today!  This is the first time we've done this, given out a ribbon for getting here last.  You got here and I welcome you to Worship today!  Welcome, we love you already!  I love you."  Someone stuck the red winner sticker on her and they put it  on her broken collar bone side of her shirt.

After more singing (Blessed Assurance), the preaching about Jesus' healing of the man let down through the roof, taking Communion, she felt like she was a little better.  As she was first to leave because she was last to get there, the Minister came over and anointed her for healing, "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, receive Jesus' healing," making the sign of the cross on her forehead and then she was off to anoint all the others.

The woman now rolled off to the side of those exiting and sat still and a post.  It now occurred to her that all of her pain had left her.  All of it.  Her eyes began to tear a bit with the relief of it. She thought it was something that Jesus had touched her and loved on her.  It was something that Holiness had revived her.  And after many many thank you's to Jesus she wondered, 'Is that what Jesus meant when He said the last shall be first?'  After everyone had left, winner rolled over to tell her Minister.