An Act Of Obedience
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series IV, Cycle A
"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." (vv. 14--16)
In 1998 the 200 employees of Inland Buildings in Cullman, Alabama, received startling news. The plant that produced custom engineered structural steel framing would have to lay off several employees. Kendall Smith began thinking about all the families who would be affected financially. He felt a call to pray for them. He invited a few other Inland employees to gather with him to pray about the situation. They would take ten minutes of their thirty--minute lunch break. They prayed for specific needs of employees and their families, the company, their churches, and the nation. They were elated when the layoffs ended in only two weeks.
However, the group continued to meet for prayer over the lunch break every Wednesday. Someone shares a brief devotion or scripture, and then they pray. Around 25 to 30 employees participate in the group.
Since the group began, they have prayed employees through many a trial. Jimmy Hyatt's four--year--old son, Jacob, went to Children's Hospital in Birmingham expecting treatment for a sinus problem. He was re--diagnosed with ependymoma and had a golf ball sized tumor removed from his brain. The prayer group not only prayed for the Hyatts, but they also took up a collection to help with their medical bills.
A similar event occurred with Dwight Oaks when his seven--year--old son, Josh, needed a kidney transplant. He didn't even have enough money to pay the deductible for the medication. He hoped for some kind of financial blessing. That night, his son found an envelope of money the prayer group had slipped into his lunch box.
Randall Cooksey's wife, Esther, developed a tumor that caused her excruciating abdominal pain. Doctors wouldn't know if it was cancerous until it was removed. The group prayed for Esther. Surgeons later removed a twelve--pound seven--ounce tumor. It was benign.
Cooksey has become a proponent of workplace prayer groups and has encouraged others to form groups in their places of employment. He sees a threefold benefit in the Inland group. First, the workplace has Christian witness. Second, the lives of the participants and their co--workers are blessed. And third, the nation is strengthened as they pray for our national leaders.
How easy it is to keep faith out of the workplace. Save it for Sunday. The group at Inland has chosen to be a light to the world, a lampstand, and a city on a hill. Their pre--Christian co--workers can't help but notice how they live out their faith as they show their good works for God's glory.
(Details taken from an October 2002 AFA Journal article by Randall Murphree.)
In 1998 the 200 employees of Inland Buildings in Cullman, Alabama, received startling news. The plant that produced custom engineered structural steel framing would have to lay off several employees. Kendall Smith began thinking about all the families who would be affected financially. He felt a call to pray for them. He invited a few other Inland employees to gather with him to pray about the situation. They would take ten minutes of their thirty--minute lunch break. They prayed for specific needs of employees and their families, the company, their churches, and the nation. They were elated when the layoffs ended in only two weeks.
However, the group continued to meet for prayer over the lunch break every Wednesday. Someone shares a brief devotion or scripture, and then they pray. Around 25 to 30 employees participate in the group.
Since the group began, they have prayed employees through many a trial. Jimmy Hyatt's four--year--old son, Jacob, went to Children's Hospital in Birmingham expecting treatment for a sinus problem. He was re--diagnosed with ependymoma and had a golf ball sized tumor removed from his brain. The prayer group not only prayed for the Hyatts, but they also took up a collection to help with their medical bills.
A similar event occurred with Dwight Oaks when his seven--year--old son, Josh, needed a kidney transplant. He didn't even have enough money to pay the deductible for the medication. He hoped for some kind of financial blessing. That night, his son found an envelope of money the prayer group had slipped into his lunch box.
Randall Cooksey's wife, Esther, developed a tumor that caused her excruciating abdominal pain. Doctors wouldn't know if it was cancerous until it was removed. The group prayed for Esther. Surgeons later removed a twelve--pound seven--ounce tumor. It was benign.
Cooksey has become a proponent of workplace prayer groups and has encouraged others to form groups in their places of employment. He sees a threefold benefit in the Inland group. First, the workplace has Christian witness. Second, the lives of the participants and their co--workers are blessed. And third, the nation is strengthened as they pray for our national leaders.
How easy it is to keep faith out of the workplace. Save it for Sunday. The group at Inland has chosen to be a light to the world, a lampstand, and a city on a hill. Their pre--Christian co--workers can't help but notice how they live out their faith as they show their good works for God's glory.
(Details taken from an October 2002 AFA Journal article by Randall Murphree.)
