My daughter, me, and her friend Keely all went to the 11:00 a.m. service at our church on Sunday. We were a song or so late, but filed right in during worship and sat next to a guy who was sitting alone. I whispered "Did I only miss one song?", he's like "Yep, just one." Seemed so surprised that I would lean over and ask him.
During to moment where we greet one another in hand shake, he told me it was his first time here. I asked what church he had come from, and he said that he just got kicked out of his church. He told me a little bit about why. He said he had been married twice and divorced twice, and they disapproved, so they kicked him out. I told him how sorry I was, and that after service I could tell him a little bit about Woodland Hills.
So when the service was over we chatted a little bit. He told me that the church he had been in was a bit legalistic. I went on the tell him again how sorry I was that his church abandoned him, and that Jesus would never kick him out of His life. I also told him a little bit about a group called The Refuge; that it was a group that met at the church on Thursday evenings and it was for specific people with specific needs. Mainly those going through something traumatic in their life, and need support.
Anyway, we walked a bit and talked a little more. He was obviously really hurting, and proceeded to tell me that he was a truck driver and lived in Shoreview. He said he recently filled out an application for the Military-to drive a truck in Iraq. He said he wanted to just forget all the problems that had been created here in the cities, and just go be alone with God, and didn't care if he blew up in a bomb over there! I was so devastated I could not believe what I was hearing. How sad. He said his life just sucked so bad he wanted to just give up and die in Iraq. I asked him, "Can I walk up to the front of the church with you in the Sanctuary and have some people pray for you?" He said he would love that if I had time. And to be perfectly honest, I was in a hurry that day, I had to get home, I had the two girls with me, and had dinner plans at 4:00pm. Well, service ends at 12:30pm, and it was now around 12:50pm.
We went up and I prayed with 2 other ladies and he stood there and just wept! He was crying like a baby! My heart was breaking for him! The ladies, like me, agreed-don't throw your life away Michael! He could stay here and resolve what he needed to (he also told me he had three grown children, and doesn't have a relationship with any of them). He could get into counseling and learn from whatever mistakes he's made, and could get his life back together. We told him that his life was worth so much more than giving up to go blow up!
Anyway, we thanked the ladies for praying with us, and we walked back to the entryway.
He told me I must be an angel and asked how I could have taken this time for him. I told him it was on no part of my own, and not to be mean, but it was the love of Jesus that helped me do it. I said to him, "If it were up to me I would have bolted right after service because I really wanted to get home, and I had my daughter and her friend with me." I told him that I had to choose love, and choose him, and not myself, and that is how I could do it.
I just keep thinking about what if I wasn't the one that had sat next to him? It must have been a divine appointment. I mean in a church with 4-5 thousand, I me, out of everyone, sat next to him. I am not trying to say that I'm all great and stuff-but I think the fact that God made me friendly and outgoing helped. I am just so grateful I was the one to sit next to him and that God used me that day.
I got Michael's phone number, and do plan on calling him to see if he's going to go to Woodland again, and see if we can meet there. I also told him I'd like to have him over for dinner if he didn't mind driving down to Hastings.
This little story shows that if you are open to God, and others, and not self consumed, God will use us, and we can make a difference. We just have to open our eyes to everyone around us, and go for it! I didn't have to take the time I did with that guy, but that is not what God teaches me in His word-and any ol person could have just walked away without taking time. But we are called to be a light, and called to something much higher than ourselves and what we want.
BTW-when my daughter and I and her friend got in the car to drive home, the time was 1:17pm.
Not what I had originally planned, but what God had planned. I was just being obedient.
