Everyday Supernatural预览

Risk

Over the years I have had many airport disasters. Once I arrived at Stansted airport to go to Berlin only to discover I’d forgotten my passport. I tried checking in with my driver’s license but they wouldn’t accept it. I phoned the Soul Survivor office and my friend Ali rushed to my house, got the passport and drove to the airport.

Unfortunately, Ali arrived just as the plane was leaving. I was so angry with myself and as we were walking dejectedly to the car I noticed a man standing on his own with his suitcase beside him. A little thought flashed through my mind: That man needs encouragement, go and pray for him. I generally dismiss those thoughts but this time I made a big mistake: I mentioned it to Ali. To my annoyance she got excited. “This has never happened to me before,” she said. “It’s like one of those Christian books. Let’s go and pray for him!” I tried to assure her that it was just my little thought and said, “I’m fed up; all I want to do is go home.” She was too excited to listen. “But what if it’s from God?” she said.

In the end I realized I was going to disappoint her if I didn’t make an effort. I said, “Okay, let’s walk past and see if God says anything else.” We walked past. Nothing. We walked past a second time. Still nothing. We walked past that man seven times. In the end, more out of desperation than anything else, I went up to him. “Excuse me, sir, we’re not weird,” (he didn’t look convinced), “but we think Jesus told us that you need encouragement and we wondered if we could pray for you.”

He looked at us in astonishment and said, “I’ve just arrived in this country to pastor a church in Essex. I’ve been waiting for two of the elders of the church to collect me but they’re late. I’ve been standing here thinking, ‘What on earth have I done? Why am I here?’ And I just prayed a little while ago, ‘God, I would love it if you would give me some encouragement before they arrive to collect me.’”

I was more amazed than the pastor was! “Are you serious?” I asked. So we prayed for him and went on our way rejoicing. As we drove home talking excitedly about what God had done, I couldn’t help but think of all the times I’ve had little thoughts like that and dismissed them. How many times I hadn’t taken the risk. How many times I’d thought, It’s just me.