Written 2/5/11
“ My heart has heard you say “Come and talk with me� And my
heart responds, ‘ Lord, I am coming’ “ �”Psalm 27:8
heart responds, ‘ Lord, I am coming’ “ �”Psalm 27:8
Yesterday, Leah and I set out to meet Paris around 1:20. We
were both a tad bit nervous. I know that my mind was racing, and I was
wondering if she would even show up.
We were excited to get to talk to her and hear more about her life.
were both a tad bit nervous. I know that my mind was racing, and I was
wondering if she would even show up.
We were excited to get to talk to her and hear more about her life.
I prayed that morning, and God reminded me of Rahab the
prostitute. Rahab was not a Jew, but her and her family were saved from the
rest of Jericho’s fate, when Joshua and the Israelites demolished the city.
Rahab had heard about the God of Israel, and she put her faith in Him. You can
red her story in Joshua chapter 2. It’s quite interesting.
prostitute. Rahab was not a Jew, but her and her family were saved from the
rest of Jericho’s fate, when Joshua and the Israelites demolished the city.
Rahab had heard about the God of Israel, and she put her faith in Him. You can
red her story in Joshua chapter 2. It’s quite interesting.
But Rahab, the prostitute was also in the lineage of Jesus.
“Rahab married a Jewish man named Salmon, and they had a son named Boaz. Boaz
married a woman named Ruth and they had a son named Obed. Obed had a son named
Jesse, and Jesse had a son named David. Jesus was born in the city of David
because he belonged to David’s family.â€� �”(from Life Sentences by Warren
Wiersbe)
“Rahab married a Jewish man named Salmon, and they had a son named Boaz. Boaz
married a woman named Ruth and they had a son named Obed. Obed had a son named
Jesse, and Jesse had a son named David. Jesus was born in the city of David
because he belonged to David’s family.â€� �”(from Life Sentences by Warren
Wiersbe)
Essentially a former prostitute was Jesus’ great, great,
great, great, great times whatever grandmother. Actually the women highlighted
in Jesus’ genealogy were social outcasts. Tamar: a girl who was raped by her
brother, and tricked her father in law into sleeping with her. Ruth: a woman
from a race that was considered Israel’s enemy. Bathsheba: an adulteress. And
Rahab: a foreign prostitute.
great, great, great times whatever grandmother. Actually the women highlighted
in Jesus’ genealogy were social outcasts. Tamar: a girl who was raped by her
brother, and tricked her father in law into sleeping with her. Ruth: a woman
from a race that was considered Israel’s enemy. Bathsheba: an adulteress. And
Rahab: a foreign prostitute.
I was looking forward to sharing this with Paris, so that
she would understand the truth that no sin is to great for God to forgive, and
no person is too “bad� for God to love, and have a plan for…If she showed up.
she would understand the truth that no sin is to great for God to forgive, and
no person is too “bad� for God to love, and have a plan for…If she showed up.
As Leah and I walked to White Beach, we prayed furiously,
and passionately for Paris.
and passionately for Paris.
We arrived at our prearranged meeting spot about 1:50. We
told Paris we would meet her there at 2:00.
told Paris we would meet her there at 2:00.
So we waited….
And waited…
2:15…
we waited…
2:30
We saw our teammates walk by. They asked us where she was,
and we told them that she hadn’t showed up yet…but that we were going to wait
some more.
and we told them that she hadn’t showed up yet…but that we were going to wait
some more.
All these horrible thoughts were flying through my head. I
knew that Paris wouldn’t stand us up on purpose. I knew she was excited to meet
with us, and that if anything was holding her back, it would be an outside
factor. I thought of all the worse situations that could happen. Like maybe her
pimp found out and locked her away, or maybe the man she was with got mad that
she wanted to meet us on his “time�, and he hurt her. (Neither of these situations
is too far fetched btw, this is actually common for the “bar girls�)
knew that Paris wouldn’t stand us up on purpose. I knew she was excited to meet
with us, and that if anything was holding her back, it would be an outside
factor. I thought of all the worse situations that could happen. Like maybe her
pimp found out and locked her away, or maybe the man she was with got mad that
she wanted to meet us on his “time�, and he hurt her. (Neither of these situations
is too far fetched btw, this is actually common for the “bar girls�)
Leah and I didn’t say much to each other, but we both knew
we were praying for her inside.
we were praying for her inside.
The rest of our team sat a couple chairs away from us. And
about ten minutes after they arrived (2:40), Sarah ran up to us and told us
that the guy Paris came to the beach with was there! Leah and I both got
excited, and yet nervous at the same time because of this thought in our heads…
“Where is Paris???!�
about ten minutes after they arrived (2:40), Sarah ran up to us and told us
that the guy Paris came to the beach with was there! Leah and I both got
excited, and yet nervous at the same time because of this thought in our heads…
“Where is Paris???!�
Leah and I saw him talking to our friends for a bit.
Then after he left, they ran over to us again and
enthusiastically yelled “Paris went home!�
enthusiastically yelled “Paris went home!�
This is what happened:
The man started talking to our teammates, because he played
volleyball with them the day before, and one question led to another with them,
and someone asked him how long he would be staying.
volleyball with them the day before, and one question led to another with them,
and someone asked him how long he would be staying.
He was very
open and started to tell them that he was planning on staying longer, but the
girl that he met from the bar, who was “showing him around�, decided to go
home.
open and started to tell them that he was planning on staying longer, but the
girl that he met from the bar, who was “showing him around�, decided to go
home.
He told my teammates that when he was going to have sex with
her, she said she couldn’t do it. And she told him that she met two
missionaries earlier and that she knew what she was doing was wrong. He told
Paris that right or wrong depended on what a person thought. And Paris told him
that it was wrong to God, and that she was worth more than what she was doing!
her, she said she couldn’t do it. And she told him that she met two
missionaries earlier and that she knew what she was doing was wrong. He told
Paris that right or wrong depended on what a person thought. And Paris told him
that it was wrong to God, and that she was worth more than what she was doing!
She went home
that very night!
that very night!
She CHOSE to go home!
She heard God’s love calling her, and realized she did have
a choice!
a choice!
We all praised God, and thanked God for His faithfulness,
and love!
and love!
You want to know what else?
The same night that we met Paris, both teams got together to
pray for her, and worship God through music. I felt God put a song in my heart
for her, and I asked that we sing it prophesying it over her. It’s a new song,
by the group Jesus Culture, that we learned in Joburg. The lyrics are:
pray for her, and worship God through music. I felt God put a song in my heart
for her, and I asked that we sing it prophesying it over her. It’s a new song,
by the group Jesus Culture, that we learned in Joburg. The lyrics are:
“Come away with me, it’s never too late. It’s not too late
for you. I have a plan for you. It’s going to be wild, it’s going to be great,
it’s going to be full of me.� (God speaking to us).
for you. I have a plan for you. It’s going to be wild, it’s going to be great,
it’s going to be full of me.� (God speaking to us).
We prophesied that for her, and sang that over her life at
the same time she was making the decision to go home!
the same time she was making the decision to go home!
One less lonely prostitute.
One more woman that realized how valuable she is in Jesus.
One more soul redeemed by the unconditional love of God.
Paris has changed my life forever.
I will continue to pray that God guides her decisions,
protects her, and provides for all of her and her family’s needs.
protects her, and provides for all of her and her family’s needs.
I will probably never see her again on this side of
eternity, but this makes me look forward to being in heaven, even more. I know
I will see her there. I will get to hug her again, and we will forever worship
our Father of love together.
eternity, but this makes me look forward to being in heaven, even more. I know
I will see her there. I will get to hug her again, and we will forever worship
our Father of love together.
Agenda: Love,
Bethsaida
Check out my friend Leah Mohrig’s version of the story… It
will encourage you too.
will encourage you too.
http://leahmohrig.theworldrace.org/
And I pray there will be more stories of God’s life- transforming Love during my two years in Thailand. Here is the link www.agendalove.com. Lets journey together.
