Latest / Jo Watson: Unfiltered Faith / The Ministry of Presence
Transcript
- Jo Watson: Welcome back to Unfiltered Faith. I'm Joe Watson, and it's time to breathe. Time to slow down. Time to let your shoulders drop and time to step into the sanctuary. Not the sanctuary that we're all so familiar with, but the one that God is building inside you. Family, today's episode is a little different. It's born from a real Heartfelt letter from one of our listeners. And her words carry a weight that I believe the body of Christ needs to hear. Not just hear, but to respond to. She wrote to say she listens to our messages online and finds peace in the word. But she also shared something deeper: the ache of loneliness and the longing for someone to. Simply stop by and pray with her. And that's where I want us to pause and hear what is being said. Because that longing, that desire for someone to show up, family, that is ministry, that is community, that is what the church is supposed to look like. That is family. So let's dive in and remember. We are family. This is unfiltered faith, so let's go. This is what Sister Joanne wrote in the letter I received. Dear Reverend Watson, thank you for your ministry. I have been in the church all my life, but I have not been to church in a while because I have not been able to get out of the house since my stroke. I have been listening to you on Facebook and I wanted to tell you I appreciate your messages. People don't understand how lonely it can be not having somebody to come by and see about you. Sometimes I get a call from someone at the church, but most of the time I just spend time reading my Bible. That seems to give me some peace of mind. I'm writing this letter to the So that it might touch someone's heart and remind them that those of us who used to attend church all the time could sure use somebody to stop by to see about us. I don't need much, just a friendly smile or someone to stop by and pray with me. Thank you for the work you are doing and I will keep on listening to you. God bless you, Sister Joanne. Family, Sister Joanne's letter reminds us that ministry is not confined to pulpits or live streams. It is carried in the footsteps of those who show up. Paul tells us in Galatians six two, bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Bearing burdens doesn't always mean solving problems. Sometimes it means just sitting with someone in their place. Pain. Sometimes it means being the smile, the prayer, the presence they've been waiting for. Jesus modeled this. He didn't rush past hurting people. He stopped for the woman at the well, the man at the pool, the blind by the roadside. His compassion was embodied. And in Matthew 25, 36, he said, I was sick and you visited me. That's not a suggestion, it's a calling. There are saints who once filled our pews, now sitting in quiet rooms, still holding faith, still reading scripture for peace. They are the unseen congregation, and we are called to be their church. If you've ever wondered what ministry looks like beyond Sunday morning, It looks like knocking on a door, it looks like sitting for a while, it looks like letting your presence preach. And when loneliness feels heavy, remember Jeremiah thirty two twenty seven. I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me? Even loneliness is not beyond his reach, and sometimes it is He reaches through us. But I want to take a moment and speak to Sister Joanne. Thank you for your story, because your story is one that speaks to so many people sitting at home today. People who love God deeply, people who served faithfully, people who once filled the pews every Sunday and But now find themselves navigating illness, recovery, or seasons of isolation. Your honesty gives voice to those who don't always have the strength to write a letter. Your courage reminds us that behind every closed door is a life still full of faith, still full of hope, still longing for connection. And I want you to know you are seen, you are valued, and your words are a ministry all by themselves. You didn't just write a letter, you held up a mirror to the church and reminded us of who we are called to be. Family, this is why presence matters. This is why community matters. This is why showing up matters. So we're gonna pray for Sister Joanne and for our community of believers. Let us pray. Father, we lift up every heart that sits in quiet rooms, holding on to faith with trembling hands. Wrap them in your peace. Let your presence be their comfort and your words their strength. Teach us to be mindful. Teach us to be present. Teach us the ones who knock on the door, who sit and listen, who pray and remember. Your word says the Lord is near to the brokenhearted. Help us to be the nearness someone has been praying for. Strengthen Sister Joanne and all who walk through recovery and solitude. Let your joy be their strength. Your spirit, their steady companion. Awaken our hearts to the ministry of presence, to visit, to call, to pray, to show up, so that through us someone might feel seen again. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for joining me today on Unfiltered Faith. If this episode spoke to you, share it with someone who needs the reminder that they are part of a community of believers who are called to be present and that we are family. And if you are struggling with loneliness or a need that goes deeper than we can address in this broadcast, this episode is not a substitution for professional therapy. or pastoral care, please seek the help that you need. And until next time, remember, family, unfiltered faith, God is moving, so stay ready. And to God be the glory.