God Answers Prayers

So last night was small group. Nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing strange. Everything was normal.

Except we prayed.

OK, that is still normal. We pray every time that we have small group. How was last night different?

We prayed that we would meet non-Christians and invite them to our small group.

Well, as the title states, God answers prayers. Last night as Mary and I were “closing up” the meeting place, we noticed a young couple arguing across from us in the parking lot. She was crying, he was throwing things – like her drink on the ground and then her cell phone. Smashing it.

At that point in time, I felt God tugging on my heart. I normally would have ignored it.

“It’s their mess, it’s their problem, they are leaving now, I don’t need to get involved.”

But I didn’t. I knew what we had just prayed for.

So I spoke, “Sir, is everything OK?”
His reply, “Yeah man, everything is fine.”
Me again, “Ma’am, are you OK? Do you need anything?”

At this point, I am in. I start to walk closer. Actually, it’s as if someone is pushing me closer.

“OK Father, this is it. These people need you. Desperately. Help me say the right things to show the love of your Son.”

To make this long story short… I will attempt to sum up the details.
Ian, the guy, was drunk.
Jenny, the girlfriend is divorced, has two kids.
Ian, goes to AA, killed a girl while drunk driving, headed to jail, prays twice a day.
Jenny is just confused.

So, we went to work. Both Mary and I threw everything out on the "table" for Ian and Jenny.

"If you died tonight, why would God let you in Heaven?" I ask.
“Because I am grateful and because I pray twice a day.” Ian said.
"God demands perfect. You and I have broken His law. We stand condemned."

But Christ…

Ian in tears.
Ticked.
Hurt.
Jenny’s crying again.

Mary and I left them with this, “Your hearts will forever be restless until they are resting in Jesus. Your perfection will not get you in Heaven, your AA, your work, your jail, your sorrow, you pain. Nothing that you are leaning on right now will get you in Heaven.

Only Christ.

Jesus loves you.”

We prayed.
We left.
We rested.
We are thankful for opportunities.
We are thankful for answered prayers.

“He parted with the greatest glory, he underwent the greatest misery, he doth the greatest works that ever were, because he loves his spouse, - because he values believers."
- John Owen, Communion with God, (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 2004), 139.

"Not only when thou wast born into the world did Christ love thee, but his delights were with the sons of men before there were any sons of men. Often did he think of them; from everlasting to everlasting he had set his affections upon them. I am sure he would not have loved me so long if he had had not been a changeless Lover. If he could grow weary of me he would have been tired of me long before now. If he had not loved me with a love as deep as life and as strong as death, he would have turned from me long ago. Oh, joy above all joys, to know that I am his everlasting and inalienable inheritance, given to him by his Father."
-Spurgeon