A Touching Moment

There we sat, surrounded by smelly tennis shoes, and sweaty teenagers, in awe of what was taking place. Dawn and I were in a missions conference weekend and we had been invited to participate in a Gym Night activity with the teens of the church. I had given a Bible challenge, on increasing ones faith by giving our all to Christ, when something unexpected happened that really increased MY faith!

Another missionary couple was there too. His challenge was about allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us with His life giving breath so that we might serve and live for Him. His presentation was dynamic and gripped our attention.

It was what happened next that took me by surprise. Pastor Steve divided the missionaries by couples and called for his teens to surround each couple. They were to place their hands on us and pray for us. As the teens were beginning to take their places I selfishly begged the Lord to have at least some teens come to us.

Me being the "Old Guy" I didn't want to be left alone while most of the teens prayed for the "dynamic" younger speaker. It was a selfish prayer and one that should never have been thought, let alone uttered. But God in His mercy answered my cry anyway. We must have had thirty teens praying over us.

I sat there with my head bowed looking at the floor as I began to feel the gentle touch of about ten hands. It was the first time since our commissioning at First Baptist Church of Lake Orion back in the mid 90s that anything like this had happened to us. It was a very emotional and touching (pun intended) experience! The prayers were simple but the event was earthshaking for me. It was as if we were a part of a family that really cared and cares for us. The teens could not have imagined how that act encouraged me.

Afterward I told pastor Steve that what had happened was a powerful expression of love and encouragement to me. He told me that, "When the teens pray for someone on purpose they never forget them." I will never forget their expression of love through that act and look to duplicate it in our youth group in Brazil. Thank you pastor Steve and teens at CBC Jackson.

And if that weren't blessing enough, two teens came to me after the meeting and told me that God had used my devotional to touch them about dedicating their lives to Christ for full time service! Thank you Lord!