With Jesus
Last night I went to church to open the door for those who come to pray for an hour between 6-7 p.m. Turned out the door was already open so I took care of a few things and then decided to go into the sanctuary…to pray with those who were praying.
There was a new girl there…a young lady with some obvious challenges. I won’t say her name and I’m going to withhold most details of her story to protect her anonymity – but she has just come to live with someone at Hope because the place where she was formerly living was literally not fit for humans. I spent some time praying with one individual and then another individual…and then I came over to where the new girl was sitting and I sat down in the pew right in front of her. She looked so very, very sad and troubled. I introduced myself and then put my hand on her arm and told her how glad I was to meet her and then I embraced her and told her I loved her. And then I just sat with her for a moment or two…sharing that this was a safe place and we’re all just a bunch of human beings who hang out with each other around the person of Jesus…and pointed to the three crosses hanging from our stained glass window at the front of the sanctuary. And then we sat for a little more.
Finally she leaned her head over near mine and began to share a deep and significant struggle she is facing right now – a struggle I sensed she had probably been dealing with her entire young life. And then she said, “Will you pray for me?” And I leaned in and put my arm around her and began to stroke her tightly curled hair and I poured my heart out to the Father in behalf of His young, troubled daughter. I begged Him to draw close to her, to heal her wounds and take away her pain. I asked Him to let her know, deep inside her heart, that He loves her and will never leave her…never, ever…never ever. And while I prayed I hugged her tightly over the pew as a father would embrace a daughter – and when I looked up at the end of our prayer the tears were streaming down her face…the face of this girl I had just met 20 minutes earlier in our little prayer time. I kissed her on the cheek, told her I loved her…and that I and we would be here for her all the way…because that’s what love does.
And as I walked out of the sanctuary a few moments later, I struggle to describe the feeling but let me just say that I knew that the Father had drawn me into that room to meet with one of His daughters who needed an earthly father for a moment and that by meeting with his wounded little girl…I had somehow been with Jesus.
This is so encouraging for me personally as I search Him out. I love hearing when people ‘find’ Jesus.
I am so glad God timed it so you could be present to this sister! I pray that she continues to seek out her Abba and the body of Christ in her pain. I am daily amazed seeing how God uses others to show us His mercy and love, even amidst the trials and pain. Literally I can see Jesus showing up for me in my brothers and sisters each day and it is SO cool!
HIS timing is amazing and whats tantalizing to me is the fact that his believers know without a shadow of a doubt that it’s only by His hand that we’re led to minister to one of His loved ones down here…….I am so blessed to be connected to a body that is so apt to equip……….don’t know where I’d go on my own….tx for bringing that to my attention brian…….
Well said Pastor Kevin. Way to show the love of the Father and live it out to this child of His. Very encouraging. Say hi to Carla for us.