Cornerstone

Mark 5:15-20

Each of us is unique. She was no exception. She was excited about what was going on in the church. I loved to hear her pray in her simple way. Her testimonies were always vibrant and very practical in nature.

Her little travel trailer home was a regular stop during my visitation routine. The accommodations were simple. She owned few earthly possessions. During these visits I thrilled to hear this older lady tell me of the many hours she prayed in her little trailer. When she wasn’t praying, it appeared that she was reading her Bible.

It was on one of my first visits that she told me of the marvelous change that took place in her life. When she and her husband got a divorce, her lover moved into her home. She had been a lesbian at this time. After many years of living in this sinful arrangement, she found Jesus as her personal Savior. He forgave and delivered her from this life of debauchery.

She had been living victoriously for Jesus, but was now intensely interested in what I had been preaching. She wanted to know more about holiness of heart. So, sitting across the kitchen table from this hungry soul I showed her from the Bible that God not only died on the cross to forgive people for their sinfulness but also that believers could be cleansed from the nature of sin. Soon we stopped our study so that she could seek the blessing. She received the cleansing fullness, and the marvelous change continued to take place in her life as she followed carefully in the footsteps of Jesus.

Dr. Gayle Woods

Mk 10:13-(16)

We sat at the kitchen table trying to play a board game with our friends. I was mildly irritated. The annoyance had been gradually building throughout the evening. Their little child was insisting that she be included in the game. We knew that she could not comprehend the rules or the concept of the game. Her parents struggled with the task of excluding her from our fun. They were doing their best to not hurt her feelings while at the same time insisting that she play with toys that were designed for her age group.

In another setting there was annoyance as well. The task oriented disciples wanted to screen the visitors that came to Jesus. Now, parents were insisting that Jesus see their little children, touch them, and bless them. Just as the disciples were about to exert their self-ordained authority as “Jesus Protectors” the Master spoke to say that He WANTED the little children to come to Him. In fact, He went on to say that unless we come to Him in the transparency and weakness of a little child we cannot have a relationship with Him. We strive for sophistication and strength when all along we need to realize our inadequacy and relinquish control of our lives to Him. We need to come to Jesus as “little children.”

Dr. Gayle Woods