The Wheelbarrow

1 Peter 5:6,7 – Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

A little to the right, at the front of the church, a well-worn, paint-peeling wheelbarrow greeted us last night at church.

The minister drew our attention to it and said it hadn't been accidentally left there, adding that he would explain later.

We said our prayer, sang a hymn and then were guided by a soft voice on a cassette through a meditation. When we were finished we were given two pieces of paper…one contained 5 questions. One was blank. We were asked to write our answers to the questions on the blank piece of paper. No one would see them, they would be our own. The questions pertained to the meditation…what we felt, what we thought, what did we feel were our 3 most temptations, how did we resist them, how did we feel God working within us, and so on.

After we signified we were finished, we were told we could fold them, scrunch them or shred them. They were between God and us. Then we were told that they were to be our offering for the evening. We finished with a prayer and then the Rector's Assistant came down the aisle with the wheelbarrow. He was followed by the Spiritual Director carrying a candle, and the Rector. We tossed the papers into the wheelbarrow and joined in recession, into the outdoors where the crumpled, folded pieces of paper were set afire. As we sang "Jesus Loves Me" in unison, our "offering" was given to God.

God accepts whatever we offer Him, in whatever form, especially when it is given from the heart, and in good faith.

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, may we always know you are ever present to hear our prayers, our innermost thoughts, and to receive them in whatever way we choose to bring them to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.