Hebrews 13:2 (KJV): Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Last week I got the privilege of attending a Brewer’s game. It was a warm night and excitement was in the air. I love going to the game to return to my old hometown. I love the sights of the big city, sounds of the crowd and smells of hot dogs and brats. I always have the hope of bumping into somebody I once knew back home. I was blasting old nostalgic music on the way and Elton John’s "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"came on. Kinda goofy, but in the excitement of the night I prayed that God would do something special for my life tonight since I knew Elton John could not! Maybe I would catch a fly ball, maybe meet up with an old friend, maybe just have a great time with the kids. Silly prayer I thought, but why not? Our family got free tickets up in the nose bleed section. In fact, to our dismay, we were in the uppermost section, last row, middle. As we made our way up and pushed through I knew that catching a fly ball was out of the question. Then as we excused ourselves past other fans I noticed an old, fairly dirty looking man in the seat next to where I was about to sit. I quickly turned to my husband to have him take my seat. It was too late, he sat on the opposite side with kids in between. “Okay, I guess it is my turn to suck it up,” I thought to myself as we all know there is that less than pleasant person we might have the encounter and must to sit next to. No sooner did I sit down than God began talking to me. Disclaimer: Yes! I believe God still speaks, we just need to listen. Isaiah 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” It wasn’t a loud voice, but a whisper in my soul, yet very audible. “Be kind to the man,” is what God seemed to be saying to me. Now there were two things wrong with God asking me that. First, the old man was alone and things were coming to my head like maybe he is a serial killer, maybe he is a kidnapper and came to stake out his prey. “Be kind,” God told me. Secondly, I always wanted to be outgoing and can be when all my closest friends are around. Not so much in a situation like this. In fact my best friend and I make a great pair, I let her walk in front of me and do all the talking and I do the work. It is hard for me to just stir up conversation with a stranger. Then my son whispered that he wanted a soda. Whew, a chance to escape! But it kept nagging at me, the lonely old man. I bought sodas for the family and an extra one for him. “What is that for?” asked my son. “The old man,” I told him. “You just don’t do that mom! No, don’t” he yelled out of embarrassment. “God laid it on my heart, I gotta.” And with that we silently walked back to our seats. I offered the man the soda and struck up some conversation about baseball, and some local news, small talk. Once my husband even jokingly texted me from four seats down “stop flirting with the old man!” I found he came all the way from Greenbay by himself I think. Now I wish I was brave enough to ask more questions, maybe tell him I would pray for him, but I wasn’t. During the 7th inning he left and I called my friend (the talker) to tell her what was happening. She told me to tell him about our ministry, talk about God! Ugh! I didn’t know if I could do it, just small conversation was hard enough. He never came back. Was it enough? Did I do what God wanted? Yes, I met a man, a stranger I can pray for, that I can share this simple story about. Afterward my family teased me about how the man probably came to the game to be by himself and I just bugged him the entire time! Maybe they are right but at least I obeyed God! This man is in my prayers and I ask that the old man from the Brewer’s game be in your prayers too. I don’t know his story, but it doesn’t matter. We need to be kind to strangers because we may just be entertaining angels. Maybe he was just a lonely old man, maybe he did just wanted to be left alone. It doesn’t matter; we always need to listen to God’s voice. My prayer was answered; God did something special for my life that night. If I did get another chance to talk to that man what would I say? I was thinking about it as I drove home this morning. Then a song came on the radio called “The Words I’d Say” by the Sidewalk Prophets . God spoke to me again, this time through song: If we were face to face, I'd tell you just what you mean to me, I'd tell you these simple truths, Be strong in the Lord and, Never give up hope, You're going to do great things, I already know, God's got His hand on you so, Don't live life in fear, Forgive and forget, But don't forget why you're here, Take your time and pray, These are the words I would say It is my prayer for you today that you listen to God’s voice because he still speaks, we just need to listen; and for the old man at the Brewer’s game.
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Matthew 25:23
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ When I finish my journey here on earth I want to hear from my Lord “Well done , good and faithful servant!” I want to “finish well” as they say. We must consider the path we are on, before we ever look at the finish line, toward our destination. Where are we really driving toward in our day to day living? About five years ago I asked for a GPS for Christmas. I like to travel and explore and hoped a GPS would give me a little more freedom…from getting lost. Yeah, don’t ask me for directions, I get lost- a lot! I was so happy to get that GPS I thought I heard angels sing! I played around with it getting around town for awhile, then to Milwaukee where I grew up. I was stunned to learn that it had me exit the freeway and re-enter again at the next point. I thought it was a little quirk but on my next trip to a nearby town it boldly stated, in that oh so pleasant voice, “Please make a U-turn as soon as possible!” Well there is only one main Hwy. to get there and I was on it! “ I’ll follow the GPS though” I thought, “it must know a quicker way.” I drove around small winding country roads and what should have been a 45 minute trip turned out to be a 2 hour wild goose chase. Once I was trying to get to an IHOP on vacation and it told me to make a u-turn in the parking lot, that GPS said it was still 3 miles away! That is when I officially wanted to throw it out the window! Where is your GPS leading you? Matthew 7:13-14 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Is your personal GPS leading you on a wild goose chase? If we want to live for God we must follow his road. His road may not be the path most taken, and we may hit road blocks . That is okay, He wants us to follow him. Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version (NIV) 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. In fact I found that there are at least 100 verses related to our PATH in the bible. Don’t trust me! Dust off your Bible and check it out yourself! The Bible is our roadmap: our GPS that never changes or stops working. It leads us on the right road , shows us detours, and gets us past those nasty road blocks. Open your Bible today! I often make a five hour car trip to Minneapolis to visit family. I usually have the kids in tow and my husband stays behind. I pretty much dread the drive. I mean five hours behind the wheel for me is tedious, long, and just plain tiring. I feel like I lose a good part of my day. In my mind I am thinking how in just a few days I need to make the trek back again, ugh! Yet every few months I do it! Why? Because it is worth it! Once I get there I am greeted by warm hugs and familiar faces; a home away from home. I see people I love and who love me. Yet I have to take that long journey to get there.
People have a lot of philosophies about life that can be summed up in a simile or metaphor. “Life is a cup of coffee”, “Life is like a beautiful melody” , “Life is like a box of chocolates….you never know what you’re gonna get.” Well, I’m not here to tell you I have life all summed up into a cute phrase. I am not here to tell you I have all the answers….just one answer actually. I don’t have it all figured out and you don’t have to either! I AM here to say life is a journey, but you already know that. The journey of life can get tedious, long, and just plain tiring. On our trip to Minnesota, I make sure we stop for gas and food. We refuel our bodies and our vehicle so we can keep going. We need to refuel our lives too. How? Read the Word (Bible) Read the promises God has for you in scripture concerning your struggles. It is in there and it WILL restore you! 1 Peter 1:23 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. Pray Ask Him for wisdom, strength, guidance, tell him whatever is on your heart. 1 John 5:1414 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. -Praise God God calls us to rejoice and give thanks in ALL circumstances and he promises peace. Why not praise God? It will lift your spirit! Philippians 4:4-7 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Obey... Let Jesus be Lord so he can take authority over your life. Don’t let the enemy be in control. Philippians 4:9 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Be reassured Rest in knowing God has Victory Psalm 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” So what is the one “truth” I know? Jesus is Lord and should be our path, our fuel, our all in all through our journey. Ah, but there is more to the journey, many more roads we can take. Join me next time so we can choose the right path together. |
AuthorStacey lives in Watertown with her husband, three children AND a cat and dog too! She loves working with children and truly is a kid at heart. Stacey has been involved in programming for Girl's Ministries off and on over the years and looks to shine the light of Jesus to others, encouraging them to be all they can in Christ. Archives
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