What’s for lunch Lord?
After mom died, my father started a special journey of mourning that lasted three years. He was just a ‘new’ born again Christian at the age of 66. He disconnected the TV and started to read his Bible for hours every day. He also experienced the pain of loneliness.. He once told me that he didn’t like to unlock the front door after coming back from shopping or eating out. He said he knew there was no one inside and that it would be total silence in the house, except for the noise of the refrigerator. Dad was hungry for the Word of God, and it was the only thing that kept him going. He also had an urge to tell people about Jesus. In his weakness, the Lord was working through him. He would ask people if they knew they must be born again. He lived for it and still does.
One day, Dad put his bible down, looked at his watch and saw that it was lunch time. He said, "Lord, are we eating out or at home today?" He waited for a bit and got the impression that they (the Lord and him) were going to eat out. He put his jacket on and went in the garage to start the car. While the engine was warming up, he said, "Lord, where are we going to eat today?" . . . . He waited for a bit and got the idea of a little place in the mall where they made nice ‘home cooked meals’. He drove to the mall and asked the Lord to find him a parking spot. He did! As he was walking toward the main door of the shopping center, he prayed. "Lord, if there is anyone here that You want me to talk to, make it so". As he arrived at the entrance of the restaurant, he asked the Lord, "where do You want me to sit?" He waited for a little bit and was lead to a table. A couple came to sit beside him. After a minute or two, they got up and left. A little while later, an other couple came to sit down at that table. They were a husband and wife of around the same age as my father. The tables were quite close together, which made it easy to talk to your neighbor.
Dad started a conversation (always lead by the Holy Spirit) and asked the man if they lived nearby. They lived thirty miles out of town and came to the mall very rarely. He inquired about his work etc. After a while, the man was telling my father all about his aches and pains. Dad asked the man if he prayed for all these problems. "Not much," was the answer. Then at one point, Dad asked them if they knew they must be born again to have eternal life. The look on their faces was the response. They had never heard of it. "What are you talking about?" the man asked. Dad took a small New Testament out of his jacket pocket and let the man read the third chapter of John. Then the man showed it to his wife and said, "it’s true, look at this!"
During the course of the meal, my father explained to them what it means to be born again. He gave them the New Testament and a "sinner’s prayer" that he always carries with him. They were very interested in what he was saying. After the meal they all stood up to put their coats on, and the man gave my dad a great big hug in the middle of the restaurant, where everyone could see. He said, " Sir, you were sent by God! I knew that I was missing something, but I didn’t know what. God sent you here today to tell me. He has sent you just for me."
Dad called me to tell me this story. - Praise the Lord!
PS: He is re-married with a nice Christian lady.
Jerry
After mom died, my father started a special journey of mourning that lasted three years. He was just a ‘new’ born again Christian at the age of 66. He disconnected the TV and started to read his Bible for hours every day. He also experienced the pain of loneliness.. He once told me that he didn’t like to unlock the front door after coming back from shopping or eating out. He said he knew there was no one inside and that it would be total silence in the house, except for the noise of the refrigerator. Dad was hungry for the Word of God, and it was the only thing that kept him going. He also had an urge to tell people about Jesus. In his weakness, the Lord was working through him. He would ask people if they knew they must be born again. He lived for it and still does.
One day, Dad put his bible down, looked at his watch and saw that it was lunch time. He said, "Lord, are we eating out or at home today?" He waited for a bit and got the impression that they (the Lord and him) were going to eat out. He put his jacket on and went in the garage to start the car. While the engine was warming up, he said, "Lord, where are we going to eat today?" . . . . He waited for a bit and got the idea of a little place in the mall where they made nice ‘home cooked meals’. He drove to the mall and asked the Lord to find him a parking spot. He did! As he was walking toward the main door of the shopping center, he prayed. "Lord, if there is anyone here that You want me to talk to, make it so". As he arrived at the entrance of the restaurant, he asked the Lord, "where do You want me to sit?" He waited for a little bit and was lead to a table. A couple came to sit beside him. After a minute or two, they got up and left. A little while later, an other couple came to sit down at that table. They were a husband and wife of around the same age as my father. The tables were quite close together, which made it easy to talk to your neighbor.
Dad started a conversation (always lead by the Holy Spirit) and asked the man if they lived nearby. They lived thirty miles out of town and came to the mall very rarely. He inquired about his work etc. After a while, the man was telling my father all about his aches and pains. Dad asked the man if he prayed for all these problems. "Not much," was the answer. Then at one point, Dad asked them if they knew they must be born again to have eternal life. The look on their faces was the response. They had never heard of it. "What are you talking about?" the man asked. Dad took a small New Testament out of his jacket pocket and let the man read the third chapter of John. Then the man showed it to his wife and said, "it’s true, look at this!"
During the course of the meal, my father explained to them what it means to be born again. He gave them the New Testament and a "sinner’s prayer" that he always carries with him. They were very interested in what he was saying. After the meal they all stood up to put their coats on, and the man gave my dad a great big hug in the middle of the restaurant, where everyone could see. He said, " Sir, you were sent by God! I knew that I was missing something, but I didn’t know what. God sent you here today to tell me. He has sent you just for me."
Dad called me to tell me this story. - Praise the Lord!
PS: He is re-married with a nice Christian lady.
Jerry
