room 37
Robert Cornwall was a struggling pastor in Oregon in the 1950’s. Money was tight and he needed some extra income to support his family. As a result he offered his services as a counselor in a local hospital one day a week. On his first day he was led down several corridors by two doctors who then proceeded to unlock the door to room 37. "There you go," they said locking the door behind him. "We’ll be back in an hour."
Room 37 was a padded cell, containing 37 psychiatric patients. Men and women were sat all around - many undressed, totally out of it on drugs. Excrement was all over the cell’s floors and walls. Pastor Robert started to share about who he was and what he believed in, but no one responded to a word he said - they were on another planet.
After a while he gave up speaking and felt the Lord lead him to start singing. He found a space on the floor that wasn’t covered in excrement and began to sing, "Yes Jesus loves me…" For the rest of the hour he sang this song over and over.The following week he returned and again spent the hour worshiping through singing the same song, "Yes Jesus loves me." No one seemed to respond but he didn’t know what else he could do. On week three, he turned up to room 37 and simply started to sing. This time he saw a giant women, who looked like a prowling tiger, approach him. She sat next to him and began to join in the song.
After six months 36 out of 37 patients were in self-help wards. After one year all were out of the hospital and many had become Christians and were attending Cornwall’s church.
Worship has the power to make us whole.
It’s as we worship that we become open to God’s change.