…part two…

It’s funny how you can not see someone for years, but the moment you see one another, it’s like no time had passed at all.
J came through the front door with Craig and we stood metres apart from one another. (Covid has made hellos’ and goodbyes with some people, somewhat cool and robotic.)

“Gday Karen” he waved in an awkward but warm way.

“Hello, it’s been a while J, thanks for coming.”….and we three went, straight into chit chat like old friends.
After he’d checked out the house, we sat down at the kitchen bench, with a couple of beautifully baristered coffees, courtesy of Craig. Well done husby….
As can happen with chats, it went deep pretty quickly.

For J, 2020 was filled with many health troubles, symptoms and worries. This had come straight after a season of grieving 3 family members.

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear of your loss J.”

My heart went out to him. I’d walked similar seasons myself and could relate. It was one after the other for J and his family.

Last year found him with a strange phsyical condition that no doctor could pinpoint. And it had him worried. Worried was an understatement, terrified!

Each time he mentioned it, his eyes went BIG, as if he was reliving that terrible time.

“It was awful and had me pacing the floor for 4 days. That was before I finally got the results.”

I envisioned J pacing for 4 days…..Woah…..He repeated a number of times, “I thought through the whole time, this was IT.”

It? IT? does he mean dying?

I realised that being a woman of faith, often meant I took this for granted. That having Jesus, meant the “it” didn’t bother me as much as if I didn’t have the hope of heaven.

He had no assurance of an afterlife. He was doing it all himself.

“Oh J, that’s full on…Hey, how do you come to peace about those sorts of things in life?” Genuinely interested, because it sounded like he had no peace.

“I don’t.”

I sat back instinctively shocked at such a frank response.

“What? So you mean you don’t come to peace about worries?”

“No, not really.”

“So, do you have a faith of any type? Or anything like that?”

He’d been brought up Catholic, but it didn’t mean anything to him now. What he described was religion, rather than faith anyhow.

I’m more of a scientific, logical person. I would love to believe in all of that, but I’d have to see it for myself. I’m not even sure these things actually happen now.

What do I say to that Lord? What can I do?

Share. Show Him Me.

So I shared a few amazing God events/miracles with J. Ones which related to health and life.

He was very open and ready to listen.

We talked of faith, of spirituality, of religion.

A thought zippped in….”What if the way God speaks to me, isn’t how He’ll speak to you J?

I believe that He made you scientific for a reason. I believe He will speak to you through the scientific things of life. The things that make sense to how you’ve been designed.”

“Yeah maybe..that’d be good…He might.”

This is very cool Lord. Thankyou.

“What if you began to take notice of those things which are unexaplainable?

What if you asked Him to begin speaking to you in this way?

“Hmmm….maybe.” I could see he wasn’t certain about this, he seemed weary and in deep thought. Tired of life’s upsets, troubles and the deaths of much loved ones.

“I’ve seen so much happen, so many good people die or have bad things happen.”

“Its true….bad things happen to good people. I wonder if bad people have those same things happen to them as well?”

“Yeah, I guess so…but they haven’t lived a good life, so they deserve it.”

I see it a little differently….What if we all experience the same losses, the same bad stuff..good or bad. Who do you reckon judges who and what is good and bad?”

“I don’t know about that one…hmmm”

What if the better question to ask during a horrible time, isn’t why me? But, what can I find in this time that is redemptive? What has God put here for me to see? What is being developed in me? What am I learning? Can I do anything to make it better?

If I saw something with my eyes, then I reckon that would make a difference.

I sat on that for a moment.

Ok, I’ve got a challenge for you. If you want, how about you get online and check out healing of metal in bodies.

“Really, oh that’d be interesting.”

He then began to share more about his right hand side, which 3 doctors didn’t have a clue about. It had been there for 6 months. Not painful, just the sensation of something tugging inside. Like a ball of discomfort.

“Oh J, that’s horrible. I’m so sorry.”

“I kept thinking though the whole time, this is IT.”

There it is again. This is the third time he has talked about his side. Are you wanting me to do something here Lord?

Craig had returned and we chatted away the afternoon about life, family and health.

How refreshing to converse with someone so in touch with his own thoughts and feelings. Someone who logically had many answers, but when it came to the most vulnerable areas – of death, loss and health – he was without clarity or foundation of hope.

As he shared the story of the mystery pain in his side with Craig, I was having a listen to what God was saying.

Is there anything here you want us to do Lord?

We can pray for Him, but I don’t want to put it out there if You haven’t given the green light.

I don’t want to make this rich afternoon….gulp….. ‘awkward.’

Go for it. That will be fun. It won’t be awkward.

As J finished up his story, which ended with, “and I still have this weird discomfort.”

“Would you be happy for us to pray for you?”

“Of course.”

“Would it be ok to pray for you now?”

“Sure.”

Excitedly, I stood and he continued talking about something unrelated.

lol…argh….this was awkward. lolol…(insert nervous laugh inside)…I was now standing and he looked at me unsure why I’d stood.

Do you want us to pray now? if you like? No pressure either way.

“Oh….sure thing…..of course..”

Craig made his way over too.

“What do I have to do?” J enquired.

“Nothing, just sit there and enjoy being prayed for.”

Craig prayed a ripper prayer and I followed up in my own way.
I blessed him with God’s peace. Asking for peace to expand within his entire body.

J sat there, eyes open. No response. No obvious impact.

We felt finished and thought we had covered all that was needed. My spirit leapt at this opportunity.What a great honor!

“Awww….thanks so much guys. I really appreciate that.” He was touched that we’d prayed.

We all laughed.

“Glad you enjoyed it. lol…..” thankfully not awkward at all. He had truly appreciate it.

“Ill let you know…and if it works, I’ll be back for some more.” he said with a wink and a smile.

Oh Lord, please heal him. Please let him see and experience you in his way.

2 hours after J had arrived, it was time for him to go. We walked alongside him towards the door. He gave Craig a good handshake.

Turning to me, he gingerly asked, “Can I give you a hug?”

“Absolutely”

As I prayed inside my heart…..Oh Lord. Oh Lord….please reveal Yourself to Him in a way J can’t explain away. Let Him experience your love for Him.

We hugged, a good bear type hug which lingers.

Something HAD happened in this afternoon.

I may never know what, but this was a ‘moment’ for J in his spiritual journey.

Not all God moments need to be tied up in a neat little bow.

Some moments are just that, a moment. A step.

An act of pure faith or obedience.

They may land in rich soil or hardened desert places.

I am choosing to believe that today was a rich investment in a precious hearted, honorable son, who doesn’t yet know he is one yet.

Please pray for J. Pray for his healing and his encountering God for Himself.

He’s so loved by God.

It has been a brilliant day! Praise You God!!!