February 12 2023. Helping Hands

Krista was away, Cheryl Leliever presided.

February 12 2023
Reflection
Helping Hands

I want you to look at your hands. What do you see when you look at your hands?
Think about all the things you create or do with your hands?
Who taught you how to do this thing? (teacher, friend, family)

I like to sew. I made a career of sewing for awhile.
My 5th grade Home Economics teacher, Miss Colson was a force. She wanted us to learn how to manage the sewing machine and in the end make something useful.
Our first project was making shoe shine cloths. It was a strip of striped flannel folded in half. We were to sew up each line making sure to sew EXACTLY on the lines. If not, we needed to rip out the line and start again (I got REALLY good at using a seam ripper!)

Next we were to make a half apron. We were given material and step by step instructions on how to construct the apron. Its trickier than you think. An apron has patch pockets that need to be measured and place, a hem measured and sewn straight, evenly spaced gathering and a top stitched waist band. We needed to follow our instructions step by step. In fact, on the classroom wall there was a phrase written in big letters “IF ALL ELSE FAILS READ THE INTRUCTIONS”. I wasn’t sure if the steps we were taking were useful, so I would go off on my own try to take a short cut and mess it up. So I would take out my trusty seam ripper and begin again doing it the way we were asked to do in the instructions. By doing what was asked in the end I had a wonderful apron.
I learned the importance of being organized and following instructions (even if I think I know better) and that neatness counted to my finished projects.
Miss Colson and I have since reconnected Via Facebook a few years ago and I did thank her for teaching me these skills.

In the Kings Scripture God works in surprising and unexpected. Naaman has leprosy.
Leprosy would have ruined his standing as a powerful man.
But a servant slave girl from his household, suggests that he travel to her hometown to see the profit there to get cured.
Now as you can imagine, in this time for a young slave, a foreigner and a GIRL! Were not
considered worth listening to.
However, he goes, expecting a fuss to be made over him because of his position, and was very upset to find nothing, in fact the profit sent a messenger to Naaman. Telling him to go to the Jordan River and wash himself seven times. Then he would be healed. The profit didn’t even grant Naaman an audience.
After much discussion Naaman relented. And was cured.

God was sending Naaman a message, through these small, simple, ordinary and unexpected ways (the slave girl)

This scripture reminds me of the story of a man trapped in his roof during a flood. He prayed to God to save him.
A short time later a row boat came by: Come I will take you to the shore. He said “no God will save me”
A few hours later a helicopter threw down a line. From the helicopter a voice said grab the line we will take you to shore he said “no God will save me”
Well he perished in the flood. When got to heaven he asked God “why didn’t you save me when I asked for help”
God replied “I sent you a row boat and a helicopter”

How many invitations to healing and wholeness do we miss because we expect God to act in and through the powerful, the popular, the extra ordinary.

God was inviting him to be healed. No fanfare. Inviting him to trust.

When I look around the sanctuary I see hands of a musician bringing the gift music into our lives
I see hands of bakers, making us wonderful goodies to eat at church suppers, bazaars and fellowship time.
I see hands of carpenters, and craftsmen. Giving new life to something not so perfect.
I see hands of farmers that share their gifts of making things grow and taking care of livestock to feed us.
I see hands of mechanics who help to keep our vehicles going so we can get about our lives
I see hands that protect us. Who go in harms way to keep us safe.
I see hands that heal us. Who get us the help we need to keep us well
I see creative hands that quilt and knit and craft. They share these gifts with family and friends or to help the church through bazaars or to help the community
I see teaching hands. Sharing their knowledge to open minds.
I see helping hands selfless hands working quietly to help others. Phoning to check in on someone, offering rides, being the rock someone needs for awhile until they can stand alone again.
This is how we show love to one another by using our hands to help
To listen and to follow listen and learn

Ordinary, simple hands doing amazing things because we follow the teachings of God. He gives us road map, rules if you like, to follow.

We willingly do this, not for a prize or adoration from others but to share our gifts to others.
I get great joy in passing on what I have learned to my grandchildren, cooking, sewing crafts.

I also love when they share skills they have learned. Trying to get me to make a TIC TOK video, I found I’m not as co ordinated as I thought I was.
We are connecting and they feel proud that they were able to teach me something and I’m grateful for the memories we were making

Christmas 4 Kids is such a great example of this. Their founder started out by helping a family in her neighbourhood who had fallen on hard times to have a nice Christmas. She felt called to help out.
Merlene and her team have done this quietly and without fanfare for some 20 plus years. She has quietly invited others to help and be part of Christmas 4 Kids. It has now morphed into C4K all year round. Last year helping some 170 families

This week we will lay to rest Hazel McCallion, former Mayor of Mississauga, and celebrate a life well lived. She led a life of service, sharing her knowledge, delighting in her council when they did well. But was as tough as nails if you came to a meeting unprepared. Only by being prepared can we get things done in a timely manner and move forward.

The earthquake in Turkey brought the world together. Canada had “boots on the ground “within 36 hours. Using their skills to help rescue those trapped in the rubble.
While I was watching the news they had just gotten a 10-day old baby ALIVE from the rubble and the baby’s mother. I cried right along with the workers as the little child was freed.
Others mobilized a Relief effort. Hundreds of folks lending their hands to pack trailers.

The earthquake in Syria was harder to get things done, as they are in the middle of a civil war. The WHITE HELMUTS were there to help. They are a group of volunteers, doctors, students, lawyers. Ordinary people helping those trapped in the rubble.

Simple acts of kindness, this becomes a vehicle of Gods Healing grace
If we listen God is Inviting us to follow him.
Id like to leave you with this reading from a book Touch my heart.

Delighting to do God’s Will by Elisabeth Elliot

God could have chosen to do everything Himself, but instead He so conceived the world that birds must build nests and sit on eggs…. Bees must construct honeycombs, and man must will and work.
It is the willingness we must emphasize here.
We pray “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” God’s will is always willing and gladly
done in heaven. Willing obedience is a very different thing from coercion. A college dean once observed that the happiest students on any campus are the musicians and athletes. “Why?” I asked.
“Because they’re disciplined, and they volunteer to be disciplined.” People sitting in required lectures are under discipline, and people sitting in the television lounge are “volunteers,” but athletes and musicians put themselves under a coach or director who tells them what to do. They delight to do his will. They are actually having fun.
God does not coerce us to follow Him. He invites us.