Another Ambush

Hmmm.. let's see.. if God gets you twice in that same week, it means He's really trying to get your attention... So i was at this seminar at YMCA with Uncle Jem and Martin on saturday morning.. the speaker had just dismissed us for lunch and we were all supposed to eat at the restaurant... there were tables reserved for participants so groups of us would sit together.. So Martin and I sat at this particular table and Uncle Jem sat at another table cos he was talking with his friend... And it so happens that we started to talk with this lady at our table...

She was very friendly and at that short time that we spent for lunch, we got to know her pretty well and she opened up her life to us.. she told us about her children and when she found out that i worked with youth, she asked me to pray for them.. she told me their stories and about how her daughter lost faith in God cos of certain things that happened.. and as she was sharing these with me, tears were welling in her eyes and i could see that she was kinda struggling to retain her composure.. and here i went listening intently to her and trying to maintain mine cos i when you're caught in a situation like this, you really wouldn't know what to say or do...

and so Holy Spirit throws me at the deep end again when i'm supposed to hear Him under pressure... i was like uttering a desperate prayer deep inside.. "now what should i do?" and so as her sharing intensified, the Holy Spirit just moved me with compassion and i sensed that i should just reach out and take hold of her hand.. and as soon as i did, she immediately bowed her head! ... now what was i supposed to do?? pray right there in the middle of a restaurant?? well that seemed like the best thing to do at that time.. and so i also bowed my head and prayed the best prayer that i could under that sudden situation.. i didn't really pray for very long but i did the best i could knowing that no matter what came out of my lips, the Holy Spirit ministered to her anyway.. once the final Amen was said and i looked up at her, i could see the tears streaming down from her face as she gave me a sincere "thank you"... Martin was sitting there watching it all and equally amazed at how Holy Spirit had ambushed me again..

He knows how much i dun like to go out of my comfort zone and talk with unfamiliar people.. but God wants me out of my ivory tower and into the world.. and He's really making sure that i learn this lesson! He wants to do away with my perfectionism.. that even as i sat there partially stunned, i didn't have the luxury of composure in uttering the most eloquent of prayers.. His Word says "be ready in season and out of season".. And so when i pray "God get me", He really does! Talk about messing me up!

Moral of the story... take some time to look at the people around you... look beyond their smiling faces, their seemingly contented lives, their comfortable Singaporean countenance hiding something beneath the guise of material affluence... beyond that is the deep cry of their soul.. and only the listening heart shall hear it.. and only the listening heart shall respond to God's heartbeat...

remember to stop for the one...