When I was in highschool my best friend, Candi, and I would take long walks in my neighborhood. We had a regular route that would take about an hour. We had so much fun talking and singing and making plans. We would sometimes run into frinds along the way, and it would take even longer…they were really good times!Today was such a nice day out that I decided to take that same route around my neighborhood…to see how out of shape I have become! I quickly realized that it was going to be a long walk, but I was so happy to be outside in the sunshine that I didn’t care how long it took me.
Before I had barely begun my long walk I looked into the distance and saw a man cleaning out his car. On closer examination I recognized him as a friend from highschool…and someone who often disrupted Candi and my walks! He moved long ago, married and had several children, but today, there he was, standing outside where his parents still live.
I stopped and immediately was glad that I came to see him. He had the same happy greeting for me from years past! We talked for a while, catching up on things we had been up to. I found out that God really does have his own timing for some things. Candi and I had tried to get him to go to church with us, but he always had some excuse to not go. Now him and his wife regularly attend a local church that he loves. What astonished me was how aware he was of the world’s needs and how he has this passion to help and to do more than he already is. Is this the same guy I knew from highschool? It couldn’t be! But then there’s God!
I look at the change in him and am in awe of God for the changes he has made in this man’s heart. It is incredible to see how open he is to God moving in and around him! My prayer for him is that he finds a godly man to be his mentor who will stir in him the passions God has placed in his heart!
I know that there are so many out there that are like him. They have come so far in there walk with God, but have not fully embraced all that God has meant for them. Physical pains, emotional pains, busyness, and life worries are such a burden that they get stuck. We need to stand in the gap for them! We need to ask our great God of the harvest to send more laborers, to disciple and build up the godly men and women out there that need that encouragement!
