Tonight, myself and a couple from a local church went out into the community to follow the lead of the Lord as we walked. Goal? Spread God's love, Kingdom in whatever way He direct.
We were only a few hundred feet from our starting point when a man standing next to a parking meter notices the T-shirt of the man in our group.
Nebraska! the man says. J. stops and engages conversation. J. says what does Nebraska mean to you? T. answers that he became a football fan when he lived there, the Corn Huskers. J. asks him who he remembered? The man thinks for just a moment and replies, J.O., to which J. replies, I am that man. T was totally astounded. He had not recognized J.O., both men shake hands. J.'s wife and I intercede as the two men talk football, we know God has designed this encounter so we watch and pray.
T. was young when he was introduced to football, J. played 40 years ago. Here they meet on a side walk! J and T have a very similar background in the church which gives J. the opportunity to speak into T from personal experience. The longer the men talked, the more it was confirmed this as a divine appointment!
The conversation turns to our intent, which is to pray for people according to God's lead. We ask T. if he wants prayer. He is surprised and willing to let us pray, which we do according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. T. is clearly ministered to, mission accomplished.
As we walk away from T, I repeat one of my favorite verses, Eph. 2:8-10. Then it strikes me, T. had become a football fan as a child which is when he became familiar with J.O.'s name. Forty years later the two meet on a sidewalk, an encounter engineered through Intelligent Design. God's design. Just in time to receive ministry tailored to fit T to a T!
God planned for the two to meet before He laid the foundation of the world. Forty years ago, T. became a football fan who followed J.'s team. It struck me that this is like a seed planted which takes forty years to germinate!
Those verses in Ephesians just took on a deeper meaning. God is at work far before we actually realize!
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