Yesterday, I shared about the man on the sidewalk. Today, I have another God encounter to tell you all about. Here is what I know is true. I am not the only one having and witnessing these encounters. You are experiencing them each time you leave your house. When we have our expectations on high alert, and are open to encounters, they will happen!
One day it is the man on the sidewalk and the next it is a man with Parkinson’s Disease. The difference this time is that this individual came to us as we sat having our morning coffee.
God can use almost anything to get a person’s attention and bring them to you. In the coffee stop yesterday it was all about my necklace. This man saw this amazing necklace that we bought in Santa Fe from across a crowded space. It was obvious that he was compelled to come to our table. The necklace got him to our table, but the Holy Spirit kept him there.
This man did not waste time in telling us he had Parkinson’s Disease. He was walking with much difficulty, and using a cane. What was immediately obvious was that he liked jewelry with skulls and bones. He wore a ring that was large and green, while one earring was carved with more signs of death. This is exactly what I felt the Holy Spirit point out. He was wearing death, but open to Jesus. When asked if he believed that Jesus could heal him his response was yes! Jack then took his hand and pronounced a blessing over him as he went away.
Our prayers for this man continued after he had gone. We asked the Holy Spirit to speak to him about life and healing. Although, we may not know the outcome for that man, we know that our declarations spoke of a God that heals, and Jesus is His name.
A few hours later found us in a hospital visiting a favorite uncle who is recovering from surgery. Our visit with this man of God, who loves the Lord was all that we expected it to be. The unexpected visit was with his roommate. Our uncle is in his 90’s, while this man was 60 years younger. A man who was loudly expressing his displeasure for hospital food, and who was eating a pizza that he had ordered and had delivered to his room.
When the nurses asked us to step out of the room so they could make uncle Stanley comfortable, Jack stayed behind to visit with the roommate. This genuine gesture of caring softened his hard exterior. Before long he was exclaiming how he felt so much better.
This lonely man was suddenly seen by someone who was not paid to care for him, and it moved him greatly. When we later left uncle Stanley his roommate was happily eating his pizza and smiling.
There is a parable that comes to mind for me as I reflect on these two men. Yes, they were not physically bleeding, but they were both in need of rescuing. One man who was drawing upon the symbols of death and the other with a tongue that made those around him feel very unsafe.
Luke 10:29-32 CSB But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus took up the question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed on the other side.
Luke 10:33-34 But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.