The Faith Factor
Stories
Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit
Series V, Cycle C
Object:
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.... By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going.... By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old -- and Sarah herself was barren -- because he considered him faithful who had promised. (vv. 1, 8, 11)
Fred Craddock tells a story about a young minister, a recent seminary graduate, who was serving his very first church. He received a phone call telling him that a church member, an elderly woman who had given her entire life to the church, was in the hospital. She was so weak she couldn't even get up out of bed, and the doctors didn't hold much hope for her recovery. The call was requesting the minister to visit the woman.
All the way to the hospital he bantered in his mind about what to say to this Christian woman. She was facing death and needed to hear words of peace and comfort as she prepared to enter life eternal.
After arriving at the hospital, he went to her room for the visit. He sat with her and engaged in small talk for a while. He felt like the conversation was really inadequate, but asked if she would like him to pray with her before he left. She answered, "Yes, of course. That's why I wanted you to come."
He then politely asked, "And what exactly would you like for me to pray?"
She answered in a tone of astonishment, "Why, I want you to pray that God will heal me."
Because of what the doctors had said, he wasn't really sure that healing was possible. Still yet, he prayed for God's healing just as she requested. It was a poor prayer. He stumbled over the words as he wasn't sure what to say. After a few minutes, he concluded with the "Amen" and the woman exclaimed, "You know, I think it worked! I think I'm healed!"
Then she got out of the bed and began running up and down the hallway of the hospital, shouting, "Praise God! I'm healed! Praise God! I'm healed!"
Meanwhile, the young minister stumbled to the stairwell in a stupor. He walked down five flights of stairs, staggered into the parking lot, and somehow managed his way to his car. As he fumbled to get his keys out of his pocket, he looked heavenward and said, "Don't you ever do that to me again!"
The writer of Hebrews defines faith as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." By conventional wisdom, the woman was close to death and could not be healed. But she hoped for healing and believed it could happen in spite of her prognosis. It was as hopeless sounding as Abraham and Sarah procreating as senior citizens.
By faith, the minister obeyed -- like Abraham. He set out to pray, not knowing where he was going with the prayer, and God blessed the faith of the minister's as little as it was and the faith of the woman as great as it was. There was a faith factor. We can see it when we believe it.
Fred Craddock tells a story about a young minister, a recent seminary graduate, who was serving his very first church. He received a phone call telling him that a church member, an elderly woman who had given her entire life to the church, was in the hospital. She was so weak she couldn't even get up out of bed, and the doctors didn't hold much hope for her recovery. The call was requesting the minister to visit the woman.
All the way to the hospital he bantered in his mind about what to say to this Christian woman. She was facing death and needed to hear words of peace and comfort as she prepared to enter life eternal.
After arriving at the hospital, he went to her room for the visit. He sat with her and engaged in small talk for a while. He felt like the conversation was really inadequate, but asked if she would like him to pray with her before he left. She answered, "Yes, of course. That's why I wanted you to come."
He then politely asked, "And what exactly would you like for me to pray?"
She answered in a tone of astonishment, "Why, I want you to pray that God will heal me."
Because of what the doctors had said, he wasn't really sure that healing was possible. Still yet, he prayed for God's healing just as she requested. It was a poor prayer. He stumbled over the words as he wasn't sure what to say. After a few minutes, he concluded with the "Amen" and the woman exclaimed, "You know, I think it worked! I think I'm healed!"
Then she got out of the bed and began running up and down the hallway of the hospital, shouting, "Praise God! I'm healed! Praise God! I'm healed!"
Meanwhile, the young minister stumbled to the stairwell in a stupor. He walked down five flights of stairs, staggered into the parking lot, and somehow managed his way to his car. As he fumbled to get his keys out of his pocket, he looked heavenward and said, "Don't you ever do that to me again!"
The writer of Hebrews defines faith as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." By conventional wisdom, the woman was close to death and could not be healed. But she hoped for healing and believed it could happen in spite of her prognosis. It was as hopeless sounding as Abraham and Sarah procreating as senior citizens.
By faith, the minister obeyed -- like Abraham. He set out to pray, not knowing where he was going with the prayer, and God blessed the faith of the minister's as little as it was and the faith of the woman as great as it was. There was a faith factor. We can see it when we believe it.
