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| William Booth's Vision of the Lost |
Did you know that you are called to bring shade to people? Spiritually I mean. Last night as I was laying in bed thinking, just a bit before going to sleep, the thought popped into my mind that I should drive out to Potrerillos this morning, (rather than Friday, which is what I planned originally), and visit a guy named Jesus. That was God talking to me.
Some of you may have seen pictures of Jesus about a year ago. He got saved during our last DTS, and I had the great honor of baptizing him.
I woke up early, had my quiet time, and made the forty-five minute drive out there. I went straight to his house, about ten in the morning, and he wasn't there. Usually one would think they must have heard God wrong in that situation, but sometimes it's not that we've heard wrong, God just has some other things to do before you do the first thing He talked about.
So, I went to the YWAM base thinking I would hang out there for a while until Jesus arrived. It was locked up; nobody there. Now what? I drove up to my house, thinking I would see how things are, and pick up some tracts and Gospels of John I've been wanting to get. Nobody in our house, and the people with the keys weren't home!
It started really look like I had heard God all wrong, and I had made this whole long trip, used all that gas, for nothing. Thank God a couple other YWAMers got home and I was able to chat a little bit, but that only lasted a few minutes, and I was back to wondering what to do with myself.
I called Jesus, and he told me he would be working until about one in the afternoon, by then it was only about ten thirty! I started thinking about going home, when this other thought popped into my head. I thought I should go visit an elderly couple whose house we had cleaned during the DTS. I had never gone to visit them alone, but I had nothing else to do!
I went out there, and they were both there with nothing to do either, so they invited me to sit down and chat with them. It was really nice! As I sat down and got to know them a little bit more, I found out that the woman had been sick, and that of course gave me the opportunity to pray for her healing.
This is important, because they are Catholics, and theology doesn't usually help too much in that situation, it mostly just causes tension. The presence and power of God removes all theological boundaries though! And honestly, whether or not she gets healed is important, but more than that, the fact that I showed enough care to pray for her will open the door for me to keep on visiting them. Not many people receive or see true compassion.
That time alone made the trip worth it to me, but God hadn't forgotten about Jesus, and he knew all along the way the day would play out, and that it wouldn't be a waste of time. What we see is usually not the way things really are!
I soon got the keys to my house from another missionary who arrived and had them, went home and got my tracts, huzzah! And, as I turned around, thinking I was just going to go home, I got a hold of Jesus on the phone again. He just happened to be waiting for a bus home right on the road I was driving down!
I picked him up, along with his mother and aunt, drove them home, and got to visit with them. His mother told me that she has a piece of property she is building on, and that when she is finished building, she would like me to start holding cell group meetings in her home! That may well be the main reason why God wanted me to go out there, we'll see. Also, they told me that Jesus' father, who we had prayed for the last time we visited because he was very sick, is doing much better.
After that I went home, having prayed for a sick person, witnessed to several people, and encouraging a believer. And I got a whole stack of tracts! Not a bad day at all!
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