On Tuesday, September 3, 1996, I met a man on the streets of downtown Omaha. He was poor. He has a drinking problem and needs prayer. I took a few minutes to "be present to him" and "be a friend". I asked him a number of questions and told him that "God hears the cry of the poor". (It's in the Psalms somewhere.) I took time to listen to his story. (I felt embarrassed talking to him with all the people driving by, but I felt God wanted to reach out to him this day and bless him. He asked for help and I guess I was an answer to his prayers , maybe (I hope!).) I told him that I would pray for him and ask others to pray for him. So I'm asking you to pray for Ron. With God all things are possible. Right? I believe that God can change his life. Ron said he would pray for me also. I gave him a copy on "planetary purple" paper of 1 Corinthians 13 . (I give this away to people all the time. I made 300 copies of it on August 17, 1996, but that is another story. Read 1 Corinthians 13 everyday and your life will be changed. You can't help but be changed! They are powerful words from God.) So I told Ron to read those words every day. I don't know if he will or not, but that is why we pray. I pray that God will touch his heart and bless him, some how some way.
(At first, I thought that I would not tell any one about this, but maybe there are times when you too are "embarrassed to help". It not's the normal thing to do. It is scary. You tell yourself that "You are crazy", but God wants to change people's lives. We have so much to learn in this life before we get to eternity, even from a poor homeless man on the streets of downtown Omaha.)
Lord, help us to be
what you want us to be.