I noticed the television repair shop while I was driving into work in the morning. It's a small shop, probably just a couple of employees, besides the owner. I had gotten to know it well over the last few years, a landmark on my daily commute, and I sometimes wondered how the guy made a living. Mainly, how'd they make the conversion to digital? But, frankly, I'd never even been inside.
God pointed it out to me in the morning. I felt him telling me there may be several places along this drive where perhaps I should stop and talk. So later in the day, on my way back from an appointment, I did. First, however, I sat in my car in the parking lot for five or 10 minutes, building up the courage to go inside. There were four cars there besides mine. What if they were all huddled around the front desk telling dirty jokes when I walked in and announced I was there to pray with the owner? I'd rather the owner would have just been there alone.
I eventually pushed those fears aside (or God did) and, with a prayer, I walked in. I loved God more than I loved myself, I remember thinking. A woman was sitting behind the front desk, and a younger guy was leaning against a table in a side room, watching a TV. A large flat-screen was on display in the small showroom. I stepped around it and asked whether the owner was in. She just looked at me and told me that she would be the one helping me. OK, I thought, get ready. I said I was there to pray for the owner -- or whomever was there who would like to be prayed for.
She seemed surprised by this. "Well," she said, "we all need prayer." But it seemed kind of like a half-hearted comment, like one of those you know you're supposed to say even though you're not entirely sure you mean it. But I agreed that we all need prayer and asked if she would like me to pray for her. She said she would. And then, to my surprise, she noted that these were very tough times. So I bowed my head and prayed.
I never saw her bow her head, or close her eyes, but perhaps she did. I prayed for her and the company, and that God would remind them that while this may be a recession, it had absolutely no bearing on His love for us. She was looking at me when I looked up again. I thanked her and walked out.
It occured to me later that maybe she thought I was nuts. Or maybe she thought I was scoping the place out for a robbery. But I hope I didn't look like a potential robber, or sound like one. So I just prayed later that the business would find huge success soon, filling its cash drawers to the point that there was no other explanation than that God had blessed them.
Scripture of the day: "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to tesify about our Lord ... " -- 2 Timothy 1:7-8a.
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