A Chance Encounter? Never!

November 28, 2009

Wow! I have just had an amazing, crazy morning like never before. God certainly is not a God of coincidence, but plans and purposes everything that takes place in our lives. He is strategically placing us where He wants us in order to bring Him honor and glory. So let me share with you my story, which is really just a small part of His story. May Jesus receive all of the praise and glory for He alone deserves it.

I woke up this morning and decided to spend my day off playing my guitar at the park in downtown Seattle, and then maybe go get coffee at the library or something like that; but God had something else in mind for me today. I made it to the park, got out my guitar, and started playing a little. Well, a guy with a guitar of his own came up to me and asked me what kind of guitar I had, which struck up a conversation about what kind of music I played. I showed him some of the songs I was playing---some of Mark’s music that I had printed at the library a couple days ago---and we started talking about Jesus and God’s Word.

He told me he had just got off the phone with His mom who was trying to get Him to become a Christian and how he just was not buying into it. So we started talking about Jesus. I shared with him that God’s Word is truth and that Jesus was the only one who could fill the empty void in his life. He started telling me his story. He had gotten into drugs and was battling addiction, he just got out of jail not too long ago, he was trying to get clean, but had just had a drug relapse and nearly died from an overdose the night before. So here I was sitting with this guy wondering what in the world am I doing---this sure is not the safest way to spend my Saturday; but God had placed me here on this bench with this lost, hurting young man who needed Jesus in his life. And so I sat there with Him, praying and pleading with God to work in his heart. This was definitely a God thing!

At first, he argued with what I was saying, but as our conversation continued on things seemed to start sinking into his heart. At one point, I just looked at Him and told Him point blank: “You need Jesus. He’s the only One who will fill the emptiness in your life.” And he agreed. The drugs only left Him emptier after each high. I prayed with Him and committed him to Christ. I gave him my little New Testament to read and told him I’d be praying for him---He wanted me to tell my family so that they’d be praying for Him as well. We were about to part ways when he asked if I’d go with him to his drugs anonymous meeting, which was just up the street a ways. For a second I was thinking, “Man what would my family and friends say if they saw me now---throwing caution to the wind.” But I also thought of Jesus, coming to earth and going to the sinners---identifying with the lost. So I prayed in my heart asking God for wisdom, discernment, and courage to be Christ to this young man. On the way, he called his mom and started telling her all about it. Then he handed me the phone and told me she wanted to talk to me.

She told me that she had prayed me up this morning, and had asked God to send someone into her son’s life who would point Him to Christ. She said it sure was not a coincidence and that she thanked God for me. I was just amazed at what God was doing---completely shocked and excited about the work I was seeing Him do right in front of me.

I went to the meeting with Daniel and listened as they had their sharing time---many drug addicts shared about their struggles. Near the close, Daniel raised his hand and started sharing about how he needed help. He told them about his relapse into drugs and asked for help. Then He started talking about the coincidences of the morning, which weren’t really coincidences in his mind anymore. How his mom had talked to him about Jesus and then someone in the park. I was just exploding inside at the next thing he said. He continued on saying that now he believed in Jesus. How awesome! Praise God!

I do believe Daniel’s confession was genuine, but I know he has a rough road ahead of Him. Please pray for him as He presses on, and pray for me to know how to help him. He wants to come to church with me sometime so I hope to get him linked up with one of the men at my church. I am just blown away by what has happened today---God is truly awesome in how He brings us to Himself.