I was walking home from kindy with 4-year-old M. As we waited at the railway tracks for a train to pass I saw an elderly couple waiting on the other side of the track – the husband had his arm in a huge bandage … and I knew I was to offer to pray, but I did not want to …
I tried to ignore the prompting. I was tired, had a dreadful halo of pain right around my temple which made speaking very painful and wanted to get home to get M fed and settled for a quiet activity so I could sit. God had other plans …
I walked past them, and felt the prompting come even stronger, so I stopped, turned, got M off the railway track and wait as I ran across the road after them. I called out “excuse me” and they eventually stopped and turned to look at me… I thought “should have just stopped them before when I first saw them … would have been easier”.
I quickly introduced myself and explained that I was a Christian and offered to pray, explaining that I had seen arms healed with prayer. The wife looked pleased, and the gentleman quickly said yes that would be great. I quickly found out what was wrong and found out their names.
M waited on the other side of the road for me, and I prayed, inviting the Holy Spirit to come. I told the torn tendons to mend, and for all carpel tunnel to leave, for all damage done from the surgery to be healed in Jesus name. I felt the anointing and I asked the gentleman if he felt anything, explaining that he may feel heat, coolness, tingles etc.
He looked at me and said he felt tingles and warmth. I said that was God’s healing power and asked him to tell me when the feeling lifted and I prayed again, blessing what the Holy Spirit was doing and asking for more. The gentleman then said that the sensation lifted and so I thanked them for stopping and allowing me to pray …
They both thanked me – they were Christians and had whole heartedly agreed with all I had prayed and said about God and healing.
I will not know if he was healed. They were strangers – most of the people I stop for are strangers that I may never see again and so I have to trust that God has it all in hand … I know I must stop in obedience, regardless of me and my own world happenings …
I noted the irony that it was another arm … a reminder that we have all been called to arms and so I encourage all, regardless of circumstances, to listen for God’s soft promptings and stop for the one He puts before you … you may never know the outcome in this life, but if we will just stop in obedience for the one, then together we will impact the world in a dramatic way …
If it took just 120 in the upper room to impact the world for God, then imagine what just a portion of the body of Christ could do … if we would just listen and obey … for His word says …
If you love me, you will obey my commandments … (John 14:15 NIV 1984)
And if we obey Him, His commandment, stepping out in obedience in response to is voice, without fear and question, then I know, without a doubt, that the world will be impacted for the better for …
God is Good!