Right Place Right Time

Sunday was an interesting day, and it all started at church.

As I was maneuvering a cart of children's books and such from the church to the outdoor worship area, a young woman pulled into the parking lot and stopped me. She was meeting friends and wanted to know where to park. Noting my Lay Pastor name tag and the contents of the cart, she asked "Are you the Lay Pastor of Children's Ministry?" I laughed and assured her that I was not, but rather was called to prayer ministry.

"Oh, thank God I met you, because I really need prayer!"

She parked and I continued my journey with the children's cart.

A few minutes later she was taking a bulletin from me and we chatted about her visit: where she lives, why she was visiting the area, where she was traveling next, etc. She mentioned that she is Jewish by heritage and accepted Christ as Saviour just a few short years ago. Others joined our conversation, giving their impressions of the state she is about to visit and making her welcome. Eventually her friends arrived and she joined them for worship.

All morning I had felt it was important to have the annointing balm with me... Patting the little pot of balm in my pocket I prayed "Father, please lead me to the person who needs prayer today - or lead them to me." As we worshipped and prayed and as the message was shared, I continued to ask the same prayer, and was getting the same message: I already have.

Looking at each person gathered, in my head rang the young woman's words I really need prayer. Of course - God had connected me with this person on purpose.

After worship I tapped her on the shoulder and asked if she had ever had anyone pray for her with laying on of hands and annointing. She said "Not in a long time." Assured that she indeed would like to have someone pray with her, I grabbed another Lay Pastor and we went to the church where it was peaceful.

This young woman was totally overwhelmed that people who had just met her would stop, listen to the concerns of her heart, annoint her (a young Jewish woman, and the annointing balm in my pocket came from Galilee last year with our pastor), lay hands on her and pray for her. Suddenly we became her new Christian sisters, sending her off on her travels and then back to her home with our prayers for God's blessing and guidance in her life.

We gave her our contact information and will all meet on Facebook soon. But we talked about how God sometimes gives us the opportunity to say or do something - perhaps sew the seeds and perhaps water them - in a one-time meeting. We may never again meet face-to-face before Heaven, but our lives are intertwined because our paths crossed for two hours on a hot summer morning on the lawn of the church.

So our lesson was this: follow those little nudges to do what God wants you to do ... when I asked her about prayer and annointing, she could have reacted in a totally different way. But my responsibility was to ask. The rest was up to God.

What is God leading YOU to do today? Where is He placing you? Who will He put in your path? I pray you are open to His leading. God will take care of the rest.