A few weeks ago our church got an email from a lady who works with hospice in New Mexico. While visiting family in Massachusetts over Christmas she learned of our prayer shawl ministry. She was wanting to purchase one for herself because “it would be an awesome feeling knowing all the prayers would be with me as I pray with my patients.” She went on to say it would remind her that God would give her the words for her end of life patients. Often times she is the last person they see and lots of them pass with no family or friends there she explained. She prays for them to “accept Jesus in their heart.” She went on to say she would like to donate to the prayer shawl ministry because she would like to pray for her patients with the prayer shawl on her shoulders knowing that would be a wonderful blessing to all.
When our prayer shawl group heard of this they were thrilled! They chose three prayer shawls and 5 prayer pockets and sent them to Mexico. They told their new friend to pick her favorite shawl and give the others to someone in need of God’s blessings. God is carrying these blessings over 2000 miles! What a wonderful ministry!
It has been found that knitting provides the health benefits of lowered stress due to the rhythmic and repetitive action having a calming effect. That is wonderful to know but I think I will need to use other gifts. I do not know how to knit and I can only imagine the tangled yarn and knots that I could create! What I do know is that a pattern is picked, yarn is chosen, the correct tools are used and then the knitting is done. It is not thrown together haphazardly. This shawl is truly a labor of love. Much the same as Psalm 139: 13-14, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” We were not thrown together either. The Lord carefully thought out all of the tiny details in our lives. He knit us together just as He wanted us making us each special and unique. He gave us talents and gifts that we could use to bring glory to Him!
After the prayer shawls are made they are put on the Altar and prayed over and blessed by our pastors. Colossians 2: 2, “I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ Himself.” Paul prays that the believers in Colossae will be encouraged by having their hearts knit together in love. I pray the recipients of these shawls, prayer pockets and baby blankets will be encouraged knowing these were knit together in God’s love and prayed over by believers! These shawls are given to any who are in need of comfort due to illness, grief or other times of transition.
Look at how God can use our talents and how far He can take them! Are you using your talent for the glory of God?