God has a sense of humour … and yet He is intensely serious, intentional and certainly knows how to maximise on available time …

Sometime before this day I had bought an item for my daughter from the same store that the following story took place (see link: And Peace flooded her soul).

At the time I had felt we were to buy it, but I also felt that we were not going to keep it … so, at the time, the purchase did not really make any sense to me … ahhh … me and my wisdom J

In any case, on this particular day in March 2013 I had a coffee catch up with someone.  The timing was tight with needing to leave for school pick up.  Regardless, I sensed that I was to bring the item in question, a poncho, with me … thinking that perhaps I would be able to return it while at this other major shopping complex.  I wondered why, given the tight time frame, and given that I did not know where the store was in this huge shopping centre, but thought “why not” it was no great bother to take the bag with me, and “who knows” I thought “the store just may be close by …” …

I brought the item I needed to return and met my friend, and as we headed down the escalators to the coffee shop, I told her the story of the return and, to my surprise and delight, laughing at the irony, I pointed out to her as the store came in view, that the very store, where I needed to head to, was opposite our coffee spot, up the mall about three stores … God was funny!

I had my catch up and, after paying the bill, praying for and prophesying over the guy that served us (I felt the swirl of the Holy Spirit as he served us earlier, which told me I needed to pray for him), I said goodbye to my friend, saying to her wouldn’t it be funny if there was a God appointment there, while thinking “surely not” … and I headed over to the store to return the item.

As I stood at the counter, I looked at the hair of the girl who was serving me.  I was inextricably drawn to her hair.  I was impressed with its lustre and its golden beauty.  I sensed there was something in that, and noting that I had a desire to pray for her, I commented on how beautiful her hair was, how amazing it was, and, as she responded I then knew why I had the impression that I was to pray …

The girl looked at me and said it was amazing hair because it was fake, not hers, but a wig. 

Greatly taken aback (I had not seen that one coming!), I gently asked her what was wrong … fearing chemo, cancer … she was dying… my mind raced… the fear and the mocking started in my mind before she could even respond … and yet I went on to explain that I was a Christian and had felt a strong desire to offer to pray for her, and that I had not known why, but that perhaps this was why …

She instantly teared up , and said that she was suffering from alopecia, which had caused her total hair loss … she was completely bald.  She gave me permission to pray, saying how overwhelmed she felt, how loved and how emotional … and she visibly struggled to control the wave of emotions that beset her …

I gently said it was normal to feel teary when the Holy Spirit came, and I explained that God was present, He loved her and wanted her healed, why else would I offer to pray?  I went on to explain that what she was responding to was His Presence, His Holy Spirit … that He was with us tangibly … and He was … I could feel Him all around …

I took her hand.  I introduced myself and she told me that her name was F, and so I prayed … releasing healing, blessing favour, and a verse that a woman’s hair is her glory came to mind (1 Cor 11:15) and knowing it was for her I prayed it declaring that her hair would be her glory and it’s return would be to His Glory …

I sensed to bless her and call forth favour, and so I released the blessing of the Father, gently kissed her forehead as I held her head in my hands … with her tears gently dropping down her cheeks …

As I finished, a girl walked out of a back room, behind the counter, and said smiling … “Hello B” …

I’m sure I looked shocked!  I certainly felt shock!

She was from the local clothing store I usually shopped at, and was the person from the story “And Peace flooded her soul … God is good! (see link here: story).

The irony was too great to fathom …

Surprised, I said “what are you doing here? God is soooo funny …fancy you being here, with me praying for F …” and I turned to F and explained that I had prayed for this other girl before Christmas …

I laughed at the coincidence, the ridiculous level of connectivity that was going on … God’s hand print was so obviously over the situation, it was beyond ridiculous … it was nearly implausible … and I had thought that God was just making the return of the item easy …

I asked her how she was and she said she was doing so much better than the last time I had seen her.  At that particular moment I could not recall what I had prayed for her, but I did recall how she had followed me around in the store when I had prayed for her … exclaiming that she had “felt that!”

I said good-bye to F, wishing her well and as I walked out from the store I looked at the other girl, sensing her hunger, and took her hand.  She was now standing by the shop door. As I did I felt to just release the presence of God.  I could feel sense, even feel her draw on the anointing … her hunger for God was apparent as it had been that day before Christmas …

I asked God what to do, pray and sensed just to bless her, to release a double portion blessing … so I did … her feeling it … Him coming in waves upon her …

Once He said “enough” … I left …

Gods timing is impeccable.

I got to school pick up in perfect time … having caught up with someone important, and having prayed and blessed three people as I went …

His humour – delightful!

He had reminded me of the purchase to return.  I had bought the piece knowing he wanted me to buy it, but sensing that my daughter would not be keeping it … and now I knew why … it was a set up to touch the girl with the golden hair and to feed a girl who had been touched once before …

I found the coincidence of it all so ridiculous it was funny!

The possibility of the girl from the past being there when I offered to pray, and walking out just as I started to pray … the possibility of me being at that shopping centre, and the location of the shop being so close that I could return the product with minimal fuss … it was ridiculous … implausible …

Implausible? … yes … Impossible? … No … not for God …

He had set me up!

God is amazing; God is funny; and yet at the same time He is intensely serious about touching people when they need Him … and while it may have made me smile, and I enjoyed the joke with Him, feeling, sensing the Holy Spirit’s delight as I walked back through the shopping centre to my car, I was also acutely aware of His passion and heart for the people around me … I was acutely aware of girl’s suffering that needed a kiss from God, a touch of His love, a touch of concern … I was acutely aware of His love for the one before me … for that was the one I could impact, then, at that moment in time … that one …

He makes our walk fun … if we will just listen and walk and obey … but what He is doing through us is not a joke, but alters the lives and destinies of those we have the courage to stop for as we go … and if we will stop for the one as we go we will, together, as a body, change the face of the world because …

God is Good!