Out Our Way: The Gospel according to Goliath: Team prayers

When Jesus returned to the city of Capernaum, the news about the signs and wonders he had performed had spread and so many people came to him that even the doorway was blocked by the crowds. Now while Jesus was speaking to the multitude, four men came carrying their paralyzed friend in the hopes that Jesus would heal him. But the crowd was so great and no one would move so they couldn't get inside. So they went up the outside stairs of the house to the roof and began removing some of the tiles so they could lower their friend down on the cot in which he was lying. When Jesus saw THEIR faith, he said to the paralyzed man, "Young man, your sins are forgiven."

Mark 2:1-6 

Out our way, team roping is a major event at the rodeo - and one that I am even less likely to try than bull riding. The truth is, although I have practiced for hours in the backyard, I am a terrible roper. Imagine doing it from a horse at full tilt? I have enough trouble staying on, let alone tossing a loop and making a dally! As some of you may recall, there was a time when Goliath decided to play tag and I was "it." He raced around the pasture and I tried to rope him. I swung out a good size loop but every time I made a toss - he moved! 

As trouble as I imagine I would have heading a steer - the idea of actually heeling one is even more of a fantasy. I know it can be done. I have seen numerous competitors do it ... and I am amazed. Of course in the old days, it was a skill every cowhand had to master if you were going to be of much use - and I suppose with a lot more practice and some very slow and decrepit steers, I might actually manage to rope one some day. Still, I am amazed at the teamwork of a dynamic duo of ropers

Teamwork is something the church is called to practice as well - especially in the prayer ministry. Although Christ often said to those whom he healed, "Your faith has made you whole," notice that in this case it was the faith of the paralyzed man's friends that caught the Lord's attention. "When he saw THEIR faith ... ." We know nothing about the faith of the man himself - what he thought or believed. The emphasis is on the faith of the others who literally placed him before the Lord.

I recall with great sorrow two incidents I heard about where the concept of prayer and teamwork was unknown. The first was a woman who had a troubled pregnancy and was told that it was her lack of faith that caused the difficulty. The second was a church secretary who was fired by the pastor when her husband was diagnosed with cancer because, as her pastor told her, "real Christians didn't get cancer." Denouncing her from the pulpit the following Sunday he declared that her husband's illness was a clear sign they were not "true believers." I wish I could say I made these incidents up, but they did happen and they happened in a church. 

Thank God my congregation believes in prayer and in Christian teamwork. Last year was a pretty bad year for me as many of you know. Two years ago I had quadruple by-pass surgery (the "Cadillac" of Open Heart Surgery my surgeon proudly proclaimed after I came out of the hospital). Then last year my marriage suddenly and unexpectedly ended - two weeks after she left I was in the ER and then flown to Great falls with severe blood poisoning, congestive heart failure, and other problems that required surgery. What a glorious anniversary, birthday, thanksgiving and Christmas! Oh, and someone stole my saddle too!!

Yet, I survived it all - and largely because through it all Christ was there in the person of my fellow believers. People in my congregation and in many of the other Havre congregations went before the Lord in prayer for me. It is tough for the pastor to be the one needing pastoring - but I sure got it! Talk about a deal! My folks only get one pastor - I got 56! And you know what? Now that I think about it, they also get 56 - including me - because we have learned about team praying. We are all pastors, ministers and priests to one another.

I don't expect I will ever be able to take part in team roping - but I surely have come to realize how blessed I am to regularly take part in team praying. Like the four men who brought their friend to Jesus, every day there are other folks doing the same thing for family, friends, neighbors and even total strangers. That's what Christians do. That's why we are all invited to participate in the corporate prayers in the worship service each week and individually pray daily for those on our prayer lists. 

(John Bruington, Scout and Goliath are available at [email protected], and these columns are posted, along with the week's sermon and children's message at http://www.havrepres.org. The book "Out Our Way: Theology Under Saddle" is also available at Amazon.com)