"The 18th century Methodist founder, John Wesley believed that prayer is where the action is, and I cannot but accept from my own experience that he is so right. As a bad boy turned good, please believe me when I tell you that true redemption is open to anyone, whatever bad they have done, who is prepared to open their hearts to God. And for those who do not or cannot believe in God, redemption is also open to all those who are prepared to open their heart to others.
According to the Hebrew Bible, 'The Book of Jeremiah', the second of the Prophets in the Christian Old Testament there is one line that sums up completely my own belief in the 'power of prayer'. 'Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you': Jeremiah:29:12.
Throughout my life, I have personally witnessed the 'power of prayer' in a number of circumstances that appear incredible, and I tell you most sincerely never to underestimate the power of prayer, love and faith if you want to maximize the best possible outcome in all things important.
My work as a Probation Officer for twenty-six years, and particularly as a group and stress and anger-management worker during that time, taught me one of the most important truths in my life; that God works through each of us in ways that few men and women fully appreciate. During my working life I have witnessed the lame walk and the dying live on, despite medical prognostications to the contrary. I have been at the death beds of those who believed in a God and those who didn't, and I know which ones died in greater peace.
I have interviewed men and women prisoners in jail who ought never have been sent to prison in the first place and have eaten at table with many rich company who ought to have imprisoned had there been any justice on earth. From all the good people I have ever been privileged to know, as many have not been believers in God as those who were professed Christians, but all the good non-believers in God I have known lived a Godly life and displayed a deep belief in their fellow man. From all the Good and the Just people I have known, at least one quarter have had different skin shades of white, black, brown and yellow in equal measure. From all the Good people I have met, approximately one third have not been heterosexual.
It is often said that things in life are sent to test us and I view all manner of experience, incident and person I daily encounter as being part of my testing ground. I cannot help but believe that we are all spiritually connected and exist within a cosmos of positive energy that some of the more foolish and negative among us insist on shaking off instead of embracing. Every day I live, I believe stronger and stronger in the 'power of good' and the 'power of prayer' and I know longer have to look for it or seek it out as I cannot walk ten yards down the street without witnessing it in action. Only three days ago, I needed the help of some kind person with a wagon to travel to York with me and collect one hundred pavement slabs I bought cheaply for my allotment. My friend who helped me told me on our journey that he had been disowned as a child by his blood mother, who still continued to rear his siblings, that he had been brought up in care and that he had served ten years imprisonment for killing a man in a brawl. I can honestly tell you that in my view, I would place my friend in this category of 'good person' today who exemplifies how love has radically transformed his life for the better. I don't think he is a Christian but his daily acts of kindness and consideration outweigh those of most Christians I know.
There are people in this world, whom upon meeting and getting to know, reinforces the self-evident truth that they were meant to be in this world the 'good' person they truly are. I would include in this list so many of my Facebook contacts, and it would be churlish of me to start naming some of them without naming all. For illustration of my post today, however, I will identify my Facebook friend Joseph Newns as a good person who believes stronger than any other person I have ever met in 'The Power of Prayer'. Through his many good thoughts, ideas and actions, I have learned from Joseph that true prayer is measured by weight of worth and not length of words.I have learned that a single groan before God may have more fullness of prayer in it than the finest oration of great length. I ask forgiveness for omitting all the names of every 'good' person I have as a Facebook friend whose goodness daily is displayed in different ways to those as I have cited Josephs' being acted out.
Over the past twenty-four hours, my Facebook friend Steven Spencer messaged me to say that after a very difficult and struggling time, his partner, Ken, is slowly on the mend. His dear mother, Gladys, however, who has vascular dementia has been diagnosed as having a few days left to live and today seems to be the day that she is most likely to pass away from this life. Anyone who is out there and who believes in my worth as an individual, I ask you, be you a believer in God or Mankind, please say a prayer for Gladys today that her passing is as smooth as can be. Thank God for her presence on this earth over the years and also keep in your thoughts the difficult feelings her son Steven and other family members are having to deal with.
As I lay in bed early this morning, I thought about Steven's present trial and as I prayed for his mother I thought about all my other Facebook contacts who are going through their own personal tests and struggles with death, illness, and other difficulties. My thoughts went to my church bulletin that weekly has my name in its list of 'the sick' to pray for. I also thought (especially as Facebook no longer automatically brings up the posts of one's total contacts as they used to),wouldn't it be nice if one person could set up a daily post that enabled any Facebook member/contact to indentify their situation that they would appreciate the thoughts and prayers of others being given to. The person managing this service would be in effect a prayer collator and more people would be able to check out the daily sick list more easily.
I know that he is a very busy person but I would ask my dear friend, Joseph Newns to give this idea some thought as to its feasibility. Please note, it would be like a notice board that is daily added to and altered, but at least anyone going through such trying/significant times would be able to feel that their weight/relief/happiness/sadness is being shared and that they are not alone. I include the emotions of relief and happiness because I would also want such a daily bill board to identify the beating of cancer and the health improvement of a once ill person. It should be a bill board of both sad and happy news to share with our Facebook buddies. Please consider, Joseph and I promise it will be the very first and the last thing I ever ask of you.
Love and peace Bill xxx"