SCRIPTURE: Matthew 8:6-7
(TM)
"Master, my
servant is sick. He can't walk. He's in terrible pain." Jesus said, "I'll come and heal
him."
STORY:
The Spirit of
Power that we receive is not like the human power that we recognize as strong.
It’s a power unlike anything we can do on our own.
A young man
growing up in the wrong part of Houston became a bully. He would get in fights
in school, in the neighborhood, and began mugging people to get spending money.
He even beat up people just for the sake of doing it.
He learned to
box, and became pretty good at it. He began to make a lot of money and could
have almost anything he wanted. One day, during his training session for an
upcoming bout, he heard his mom talking to his sister on the telephone about his
favorite nephew. The young boy had had a seizure and now lay in a coma in the
hospital. Doctors said he would probably die, but that if he came out of the
coma he wouldn’t be able to move his limbs, or speak, or do any of the human
functions we consider part of living.
He ran into the
room where his mom was on the phone and shouted, “Momma, call the hospital and
tell those doctors to give him the best of everything. Tell them I’ll take care
of all the bills, to fly in the best doctors from wherever they have to. Tell
them who I am, and that I’ll take care of everything — whatever it costs.”
His mom spoke to
the doctors, and then told him, “Son, you’re just going to have to pray.”
He realized then
how grave the situation was. When someone tells you the only thing you can do
is pray, things are looking pretty bad.
Then it hit him.
All of his money, his fame, his influence, his friends — none of that could
solve this problem. It was out of his hands, out of the doctor’s hands, out of
everyone’s hands. For the first time, he was totally powerless.
And for the first
time, George Foreman dropped to his knees and prayed.
He wasn’t sure
God existed, but he knew that when all else failed, people prayed. He asked
God, if he really existed, to help his nephew. Then he got back in bed. A few
seconds later, he got back on his knees and offered to give up all his wealth
if God would heal his nephew.
Then he got back
in bed again. A few seconds later he got back on his knees a third time and got
angry at God for letting this happen to his nephew, a child who hadn’t
experienced life yet. George told God to take his life instead. Let the boy
live and take George’s life instead.
The next morning
George’s sister called from the hospital. His nephew had woken up and could
move his eyes, but the doctors said he wouldn’t ever walk again.
She called later
that day, and the boy had begun moving his toes. The next day the boy was
talking, and a week later he was on his way home, “walking, talking, and back
to normal.” The doctors had no logical explanation. But George Foreman knew God
had just given him a miracle.
Three months
later in March 1977, George Foreman died in his locker room after fighting
Jimmy Young. He collapsed in a heap, and entered what he describes as “a deep,
dark void, like a bottomless pit.”
In his book, God in My Corner — A Spiritual Memoir,
George wrote, “I knew I was dead, and that this wasn’t heaven. I was terrified,
knowing I had no way out. Sorrow beyond description engulfed my soul, more than
anyone could ever imagine. If you multiplied every disturbing and frightening
thought that you’ve ever had during your entire life, that wouldn’t come close
to the panic I felt. …
“ I screamed with every ounce of strength in me, ‘I don’t
care if this is death. I still believe in God.’
“Instantly, what seemed to be
like a giant hand reached down and snatched me out of the terrifying place.
Immediately, I was back inside my body in the dressing room.”
George accepted
Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and devoted himself to being a disciple of Jesus
Christ. He realized his human power, his money, his prestige, were worthless in
the next life, and meant to be used as tools to lead others to Jesus during
this one.
He went on to win
the Heavyweight Championship of the World twice. He was ordained as an
evangelist in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and became pastor of a small
church. He also became involved in prison and hospital ministries.
You probably know
him best for the George Foreman Grills or for namely all of his sons George. He
finally was able to baptize his own 23-year-old daughter who finally decided to
dedicate her own life to Jesus.
That’s God’s idea
of power.
OBSERVATION:
Both the scripture and George Forman’s story causes a
question to come to mind: To whom do we turn to when we need healing?
“Kiss it and make it better” worked when we were younger.
Then we learned the valuable lesson of the power in the medical profession with
the “magical” potions that come in pill form along with our citadels of modern
healing called hospitals. But eventually we will all be faced with something
that is beyond a mommy’s kiss and the knowledge of the doctors or the medicine
with the expensive machines of the hospitals.
When our backs are to the walls and modern healing knowledge
isn’t enough nor our riches strong enough to make it happen… where do we go?
Who do we turn to? And are we willing to place it all there trusting God with
the outcome? Though we try mightily to bargain and plea with God the conclusion
that Mr. Foreman arrives at is the same one waiting for each of us… all we can
do is pray and trust… and be prepared to accept the consequences regardless.
Can we say – in life or in death thou art God?
PRAYER:
We pray hoping and end up accepting the outcome. Help us in
our time of greatest need.
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