Being a Blessing and Receiving a Blessing

I read a story today about a medical missionary that was working in an African clinic in the 1030's. He worked primarily with patients suffering from leprosy.  I confess to not knowing very much about the disease, other than to say I have seen pictures of leprosy sufferers, and know the disease to be extremely painful, resulting in the deformity of the body. Fingers and toes were usually the first to go, and there were some with deformed faces and limbs.

In Bible times leprosy was a dreaded disease and those infected were sent to colonies of other lepers, where they simply awaited death. We also know if someone without the disease came close to a leper, the leper was required to give a warning so contact would be avoided. 

In the story I was reading, the missionary told of the morning moments when they would conduct a brief worship service with the lepers. They would sing a few hymns, read some scripture, then close with a time of prayer which sometimes involved even the lepers leading the prayers. 

The victims of the disease grew to love the words of one song and it was the song they sang daily after their prayer time. It was the song they chose because it added some "pep" to their spirits as they departed from each day's worship.  The missionary further explained there were some whose disease had attacked their throats and vocal chords to the point their singing was "tuneless," but they insisted on singing the song every day. 

Here are some of the words.
"I've reached the land of corn and wine, with all its riches freely mine;   
 Here shines undimmed one blissful day, For all my night has passed away.

O Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land, As on thy highest mount I stand,
I look away across the sea, Where mansions are prepared for me,
And view the shining glory shore, My Heav’n, my home forever more!"

It happened for this medical missionary just like it usually happens to everyone.  They entered a place which inhabited by the hurting, suffering and dying, in an attempt to show them God's love through the dedication of caring Christians.  Instead, the missionaries received the greater blessing. In spite of the disease, in spite of all the hurting, these people knew and experienced the presence of God and knew their real home was in heaven. 

In Psalms 137, mention is made of those in Babylonian captivity who were in no mood to sing praises until their captors (that's right, their captors) begged them, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

 

Praise God for the opportunity to be a blessing to others.  Praise God when others become a blessing to us.

<ronbwriting@yahoo.com>