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Saturday, July 03, 2010

God Answers Prayer

I have been unfaithful in the work that God has given to me to do. I have made the life and death, truth and lie issues at Planned Parenthood secondary to my own personal comfort and good name. Please forgive me if I have caused you to falter.

This Thursday, I prayed that God would make His servant's mouth true, his feet firm and beautiful, and his hands holy. I prayed that He would give ears to hear to those who came and listened.

This prayer was intended for myself at Planned Parenthood (and any other servant God sent there), and also for Glen, who I hoped would have opportunity to continue conversations with family.

At Planned Parenthood, of course, my intention was to reach the woman who would kill her child, the lover or mother who brought her, and the cheery escorts who attend the approach to the chamber.

The Holy Spirit of God, takes my prayers before the Father and makes them perfect. (Romans 8:26)

When I got there, there were no protestants, however, the Catholics, who normally are gone when I get there were there in abundance. They were not standing around chatting as if they were done and getting ready to leave. They were kneeling and chanting. They had a friar, and a large picture. They were there for a while.

I had to go around the block again, and park way down the street. This was God's answer to the prayer for firm feet. I, who would have been tempted to stay in my car, could not, and still say that I was there. I had to leave, by God's initiative, my car and put my feet on the pavement around Planned Parenthood.

As I walked past, trying not to disturb their rituals, and present a friendly countenance to the young ones, I greeted Marcele, who always is friendly to us.

I had little or no interaction with people involved in the killing at Planned Parenthood Thursday. I felt like my words were bouncing around the parking lot like rubber balls, but I took courage in Ezekiel 3:10 and Isaiah 55:5-11 and continued.

The Catholics wrapped it up and began to disburse. Marcelle came over to greet me. She commented that she hadn't seen me in a while. I vaguely told her that I had lost my courage. I was ashamed when she said that she is never afraid. I was thinking that I do not need to fear when God is with me (Psalm 56:11), instead, I should fear God when I refuse to go where He sends me (Luke 12:5)

She began to tell me that she fights that old devil all the time, and then she made a spitting sound like the mother in "Fiddler on the Roof". Then she told me to come with her and she would show me a new prayer they have. As we approached the dwindling group, a couple of them were wrapping up the large, ornately framed picture in a patted case. She said that many had been healed by this thing, or the statue in Mexico that it represented. I tried to tell her that it had no power, and she told me that she had seen many miracles, many miracles, but it was already wrapped up, so she couldn't show it to me.

She asked someone for that new prayer to show me, and a young boy gave her a laminated card. She showed me the prayer, and it started out addressing Mary. I told her that I was sorry, but I just couldn't pray to Mary. She asked me why not, Jesus honored her. She told me that Jesus gave the world to her when He was on the cross. I told her that I didn't think so, but that He gave John the responsibility to care for Mary while He was on the cross. I asked her to show me next time.

She told me that the Catholic church goes back to Peter. They have had many good and bad popes since then, but that they go back to Peter.

She covered the introduction to the prayer with her hand, and showed me the third paragraph, which said that we implore you, who dispels heresies, to ... What she wanted me to see was something about protecting teenage girls. I asked her, who it was that they were praying to who dispels heresies. She passed it on to someone who was looking over her shoulder, and he said, yes, Mary does dispel heresies.

She said, firmly that Jesus honored his mother, and we should to. I said that I agree that Jesus did (look at the wedding incident, and His care for her on the cross), but that Jesus saved her. Jesus intercedes for us. Jesus, alone is our saviour.

These are the ears that God sent to hear. I hope that God was glorified. I think I showed her that I love her. I hope that God will give her ears to hear.

Oh God, make your servant's mouth true, his feet firm and beautiful, and his hands holy. Give those who come ears to hear. In Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.

2 comments:

OAG said...

Thanks for your thoughts Rachel. It seems like you were well equipped with the word of God in your heart to respond to your Catholic friend.

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