Sam

So, I am home on this rainy Saturday at We Will Go. I enjoy my weekends here because it is my time to refresh and renew in the Word and get prepared for my upcoming week. Today, after running a 5K race with several We Will Go missionaries, I return to a dirty apartment and tons to do. However, my prayer is “Lord, send those here who need to hear from you today or know you see and love them.”

About 11:30, the doorbell rings. It is a scruffy white man, about 40 or 45. He said,  “ma’am, I’m sorry to bother you, my name is Sam, they told me to come here because you would help me.” I said, “ok, who is they?” Sam answered, the people at the gas station and the JPD.” He said they told him to look for churches for help with gas, but they probably wouldn’t be open on a Saturday, but that there was a church on Congress Street that helps people all the time.

Hmmm, I thought. How neat is that!? Praise God for an opportunity, so I asked what was he in need of today.

He tells me how his morning went. He is from a small town about 45 minutes from Jackson and he was headed there from working in Louisiana (he works off shore every 2 weeks). He stopped for gas at an exit in South Jackson. As he placed his credit card in the machine, he said a man came up with a piece of wood and hit him in the face – he said it felt like a piece of steal! He then said 2 other men came up and took his cell phone, wallet and tool bag from inside the truck…but did not take his truck, with the keys in the ignition. He proceeded to tell me about his 2 hour encounter with Jackson’s finest. I interuppted his police interaction and said, “I’m very sorry that happened to you, do you need clothes, food, water or how can I pray for you?”

He said, “I don’t need any of that, I just need to get gas to get home. I never got to put gas in my truck before they stole from me.” I told him I would get one of my fellow missionaries to come out and talk with us and see if we could help. Usually, we never give money, unless the Holy Spirit tells us to. Cash doesn’t solve any problems, so we are always alert to go straight to the Word, or meet the physical need of food, water, clothes and then pray over our neighbors the Lord sends to us. So, out comes Landrum, Roxanne’s husband, who has lived at We Will Go for 2 years. They met and Sam shared with him the same story he told me. We usually confirm with fellow missionaries if we should meet a need monetarily and in this case, both Landrum and I felt he was telling the truth and was in need of only that one thing.

So, Landrum goes inside to get his keys and wallet. I stayed outside with Sam and asked to pray for him. He said sure. The Lord gave me these words for Sam:

Father God, I thank you that you spared Sam’s life today. Lord you have a plan and a purpose for him still on this Earth and you showed him that today. I thank you Lord you allowed this to happen, because you want to speak to him today Lord and I ask that you speak all the way down the interstate. Lord God you allowed disaster, death and disease to come upon Job – because you gave permission to Satan to attack him. Job still praised you in all those circumstances and I pray that Sam will come to the same place soon to praise you for today. Lord, I know you’re the God of Justice and you will take care of the individuals who beat and stole from him…but today God you require Sam to forgive them. I pray that he can do that Lord. Forgive and love our enemies as you told us in your Word. God you have more for Sam…in John 10:10 it says Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy – but God you come so that we have life and life abundant – I pray that Sam receives from you today all that you have for him. I pray more for him today and protection on the way home today.

He looked up scratches on his nose, swollen cheek and said Thanks ma’am. You guys helped me a lot. And off he and Landrum went…

Praise God, no matter what our day holds – God wants to teach us more about Himself and how to follow Him.

Thank you Jesus for another opportunity to serve you.