Today's service at Mars Hill was really emotional for me. I really recomend going to Mars Hill Bible Church website and listening to March 26, 2006 service! Rob Belle gave yet another applicable Biblically based message today. Threw most of the service I had tears in my eyes. He started by introducing the prayer shall, referencing Numbers 15:37. We later looked at Malachi 4:2, Luke 8:42 and James 5. Rob walked us through the meaning of the prayer shawl and its significance. In Malachi we are introduced to the legend or rumor that one way to know the coming Messiah was that healing could be found in his cloak or prayer shall. Then in Luke we see how the sick woman who had been bleeding for twelve years touched his cloak and Jesus felt the 'power go out from him'. She was desperate but had faith in his healing power. Rob walked around the arena that is the stage he preaches from and placed prayer shawls along the edge. He asked all that were hurting, injured and seeking hope to come forward to pray with the elders and prayer leaders. Seeing all those people walk up in front of the community seeking to be healed made something in my heart ache for them. It hurt me to see so many others hurting and at the same time brought hope. They were seeking healing, comfort, hope and community in the right place and that brought me hope. Rob said that there are those that are considered very religious but are in total despair and those that are not considered religious that are filled with hope. How true is that. As Christians we are to be filled with hope. Are we portraying a flowing river or a desert wasteland?