Friday

Greetings Internet Campus,

[note...this blog originally appeared on my personal one...but I just wanted to share my heart with the internet campus on this...]

Romans 12:15 "Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep."


I have to admit something on the blog this morning...I am sad. I am currently the pastor on call here at Flamingo Road Church and received a very difficult phone call yesterday. I was asked to go to a local hospital and pray over a little four year old boy who was in Pediatric ICU. Doctors aren't sure if he is going to make it or not. I went yesterday and tried my best to bring hope to a devastated family sitting there. I fumbled through a prayer about God's love and healing. I meant every word of it...I just struggled with finding words that didn't sound trite, banal, or empty.

Sympathy is easy. Empathy is hard. Christ calls us to feel what others feel...no matter how painful...

There is so much I don't understand about God and why things happen...I wish I had all the answers and could communicate them with just the right words to people that hurt. I'm doing the best I can with the brain and heart that God gave me.

As I stood there by the bed yesterday and held this young mother's hand, I realized that the most important thing I can do with my life is to be there for people. Just be there for them.

Today I cry for this little child and his family...

I'm done with complacency and fake compassion. My challenge to you today is this... put yourself in someone's shoes. Feel what they feel...pray for them. Here's what will happen...you'll grow. Jesus feels our pain...let's try to do that for someone else. Genuinely.

Pastor Brian