I missed it today. I was sitting waiting for our eldest son Ben to finish soccer training and a little boy ran over and stood waiting outside the car next to ours. He was playing with a ball when he dropped it, and it rolled under our car. He started calling out to his father to come help him find his ball which he did, as I also stepped out of my car to see if I could assist. And that’s when I missed it, because accompanying this little boy and his Dad was his grandfather and younger brother. Except the grandfather obviously wasn’t well, and was very slowly and carefully with the aid of a walking stick shuffling across to the car next to mine.
“Go pray for him” I heard Holy Spirit whisper. “What?”, I said, “he’s nearly in his car.” “Go pray for him”, I heard again. Then I felt a wave of Jesus’ love and compassion for this man rise up within my heart. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1….”I still didn’t move, looking, watching, and contemplating the hundred reasons why that wouldn’t be appropriate, and weird and the chances of the elderly gentlemen’s son getting offended at me. I looked, and noticed the elderly man looking straight at me, and I knew I should move…but then it was too late, as they got in their car and drove away. The moment lingered and then disappeared, the compassion and anointing to pray dissipated, and I was left sitting, staring at a flood lit soccer pitch wishing I had jumped out of my car and gone an prayed.
“Sorry Lord”, I whispered. “I let other things get in the way when you just wanted to demonstrate your love through me to this man.” “I know better, and I should have jumped up and prayed”. “Next time,” I heard God whisper gently back, and I felt his heart so full of love both for me, and for this one man who should have received my healing prayer.
How easy it is with one decision, one step, one failure to move, for the darkness to remain instead of God’s light to come flooding in. How easy is it for us to choose to do nothing, when we could do everything; and how easy it is to choose no instead of yes.
I should have jumped up and prayed today, and I did not. But I’m hoping, praying, believing and planning for my sake, and for all those who need God’s light to shine on them, that next time I will say Yes.
“Jesus said, “As you go, proclaim this message: The Kingdom of heaven has come near.” Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:7-8)
Prayer: Lord please, please help us to be moved by your love and compassion for the lost, the hurting, the broken and the sick amongst us. Help us to forget about ourselves and to jump up and pray. In Jesus name Amen.
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