Give and Take!

I thank my God every time I remember you.

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy

because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,

being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you

will carry it on to  completion…

—Philippians 1vs 3-12

It is better to give than to receive. Yes, and we all feel better when we are giving than when we are receiving. We all come in contact with persons that we know are really hurting and we ask, “How is it going?” Often the answer is OK, fine, good…etc. That answer raises the antenna on a counselor. Many of us are relieved when we hear it because now we can change the subject and avoid the real issue.

On a Friday in January 1998, I was diagnosed with cancer and made aware that surgery was a good solution. That Sunday, June and I were scheduled to be greeters for a church service. God forgive me but I lied a lot that morning. Most people greet with, “Hi, how are you?” and they did not really want to hear my answer.

            The point is that in 1998, we needed to take from the church more than we could give. Oh yes, we gave them financial support, but that is not what I mean. I needed prayers to cover my fear. June needed prayers to cover her tears. The kids and grand kids also needed spiritual support. The support was not for the weekend but for an extended period that lasted most of 1998. The good news was that “…He who began a good works in you will carry it on to completion…” The support was available through our Christian community.

              In 1998, the Pickering family was blessed; that was the year we learned to accept the support and prayers from our friends in Christ. We learned to receive the benefits that are available to all, that unfortunately, some are too proud to receive.

              This last fall we again took prayers from our Christian community. The drug reaction that followed my angioplasty was extreme and we needed serious prayers for three months. All seems better now and the cure is in sight. This time we remembered that “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy”. We are welcome and it is OK to take and receive.

Thought for Today: Today let us recognize when we need support. Let us stop and pray about it. If there are any real bad moments, let’s call a friend in Christ and ask for help. The friend will be grateful. Also, if we have a great week, let’s hope that we get a call from someone that could use our support.

Prayer for Today:  Dear Lord and Father, we offer our prayers for peace and understanding in the world. As a nation, we seem to accept terror and murder on a daily basis in the Mid East. Today we pray somehow for the understanding and that we, in some way, can contribute to the spreading of your love throughout the world.

Amen