Opportunities

Yesterday on my way back from running at Gateway School, I drove past somebody I know from the local neighbourhood watch. For the sake of this account, I will call him Henry. Henry was walking down the road looking disconsolate with his shoulders slumped and head hanging. Then today, I encountered Henry walking with his wife and three kids past the entrance to my driveway.

Why was Henry taking his family for a walk at nine in the morning? Why wasn’t he at work, I wondered? Was all this a coincidence? So I got out of my car for a chat.
Business was not going well. Enterprises that had worked in the past were no longer putting food on the table let alone paying school fees. It seemed that George was on the back foot trying to start a business with good potential but without capital.

“There is a credit shortage,” he explained, rubbing thumb and forefinger together. “No one can give us a loan”.
I empathised, trying to understand his situation. After a while, it became clear that I should offer to pray. At first Henry didn’t understand my offer; then it struck home, and his face was transformed by a broad smile.

“Yes! Yes please. Fiona, this man wants to pray for us. Come! Come over here.”

So we prayed by the side of the road, and when I opened my eyes again, I saw that Fiona was crying. They were very grateful, and I invited them to Harvest this Sunday.

I wonder what God will choose to do with this small act of obedience? Two Sundays ago at Harvest, we prayed that God would give us opportunities to take the gospel to non-believers. We felt that it was time to pray for miracles where they are really needed: in the work place and in our neighbourhoods. Most of the miracles recorded in the NT were used by God to draw non-believers into the Kingdom of God. Yet we seldom pray for non-believers, praying in church for Christians only.

I hope that God will do a miracle for Henry and Fiona. Perhaps a taste of God’s grace in the form of a miraculous loan will point them to the grace that is available for eternal life. Anyway, God knows. He presented me with the opportunity, I was obedient and the rest is up to Him. I wonder what will happen next.

Cheers for now - Ian