THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING

While traveling through the church, Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar found a prayer cloth that had been made by the CUMC members, lovingly knit and prayed through with every stitch.  “Perhaps this cloth of prayer will help us find the Christ child.” said Caspar.  “Well, we can use all the prayers we can get,” said Balthazar, “And since we don’t have any of Paul’s handkerchiefs or aprons, this will have to do!.”

WESLEY’S QUESTION:  Am I enjoying prayer?

SCRIPTURE:  “And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.” (Acts 19:11-15)  

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phillipians 4:6-7)

FOOLISH WISDOM:  One night on their journey, the wise men were camped beside a poor man.  The pilgrim hadn’t planned on being in the desert, but his camel had become lame.  He hadn’t even brought his prayers, hymnal or bible with him and didn’t know how he would do his evening prayers.  Finally, he kneeled and said, “Dear Lord, I didn’t plan on being out without my hymnal and prayerbooks, and I can’t remember a single prayer.  But here’s what we can do.  I will recite the alphabet five times very slowly and you, to whom all prayers are known, can put the letters together to form the prayers I can’t remember.”  And so, he did.   The Lord told his angels, “This one was undoubtedly the best prayer of all that I have heard today because it came from a heart that was simple and sincere.”  (adapted Hasidic tale)

MUSIC SELECTION:

Christmas Medley by John F. Schneider

Laura Hesse, piano