Lent Devotional - Day 2 - February 23, 2023

Lent Devotional - Day 2 - February 23, 2023 .

Luke 17:20-21 Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst."

Pastor Vicki Harrison Reflection: It was on a family road trip this past summer that I found myself with my three young adult children in a thrift store in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We had been driving through the Midwest, working our way to Michigan. After a morning of bicycling, we were all tired. My husband, Richard, headed back to the Airbnb and we decided to check out some shops. The thrift store was run by an organization that provides resources to chronically mentally ill individuals. It was in the basement of an older downtown building and we were the only customers. We weren't there long before one of the employees fell off his stool and hit his head on the concrete floor. It appeared the man lost consciousness, at least briefly, and the other workers were understandably upset. I asked my oldest son, an EMT at the time, to see if he could help. Daniel went over to the man, identified himself, and asked some basic questions. He called 911 and continued to keep the man still and the others calm.

While waiting for the ambulance, I felt led to pray for the man. He was still on the floor with Daniel and another man sitting close by him. I walked over and asked if I could pray for the man who fell. I explained 1am a pastor and I believe in the power of prayer. The man's friend, also a worker at the store, said he didn't know female pastors existed. I laughed and assured him we are real, adding a bit of levity. They both agreed to a prayer. While it felt rushed and awkward, both men seemed more at peace.

The ambulance arrived and it seemed like the right time for us to leave. We had made our way out of the building when I hear a man calling out, "Wait!" turned and the man's friend was running toward us. "Will you pray for me too?" he asked, breathing heavily after running to catch us. "I used to have faith a long time ago but a lot has happened in my life. I need prayer that I can believe again." "Of course," I said, "Let's pray right now." Then, standing on the sidewalk in downtown Milwaukee, I took his hands and we prayed. I don't remember exactly what I said, the words weren't really mine after all. When I finished, the man was crying.

The presence of the Spirit was strong, almost palpable. We hugged briefly and he headed back to the store. The moment was over. But it wasn't really over, was it? When the Kingdom of God comes near to us, whether we are in worship or on a sidewalk in Milwaukee, it isn't over at all. When we encounter the presence of the Living God, we always are transformed in some way.

For me, it was additional confirmation to listen to the Spirit's promptings. For my children, it demonstrated how God can and will use us in the most unusual of places. For the two men, my prayer continues to be that seeds were planted, pointing them one step closer to faith in Jesus. There was a purpose for our visit that day and I trust that the Holy Spirit will now send another faithful person to sow, another to water, and another to harvest. Come, Holy Spirit. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I cry out to you for only Your Voice and Your Direction. You have told me You are doing a new thing. You brought me to Mt. Precipice and reminded me again of Your Word. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, wisdom to discern, and boldness to step out in Your Strength. In the Name Above All Names, I humbly offer my prayer, Amen. 

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 Our staff and leadership employ what's called the “S.O.A.P. Method”. It stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. Each day, we read one or two chapters of Scripture and focus on one particular verse. We make some observations about how that verse touches us, discern how it applies to our lives, and offer a prayer related to what we have read. - Rev. Dr. Vicki Harrison -- Donate via PayPal to support the podcasts and the Technical Arts Ministry of New Hope! https://goo.gl/o2a9oU Subscribe at: http://www.findnewhope.com/soap (813) 689-4161 keywords: devotional, bible study