Thursday, June 21, 2012

Rejoicing in Heaven

A lady in her 20s called me on Monday asking me for more information about our church.  I had to confirm that she did, in fact, want information about Openhouse, because at least once a day, someone calls us asking about baptisms, ashes, and weddings.  You see, the last four digits of the local Catholic church’s phone number are 9593, but people get mixed up and call us instead (ours are 9395).

Enrique and I invited her over for coffee today (even though we all just drank Coke) to explain what our church has to offer.  After talking for a few minutes, she told us that she doesn’t go to church, but was interested in growing closer to God, so she looked up crecimiento espiritual, “spiritual growth”, on the Internet and our church’s website popped up.  Me and Enrique’s numbers are on the site so she gave us a call.

We explained that we just had a church service on the 17th and that we’ll meet again on July 1st.  We told her that a group called Starting Point begins toward the end of August and she can sign up then.  We gave her the corresponding participant guide so that she could get a head start on the 10-week study.  We wrapped up our little meeting time with a prayer and were good to go.  Almost…

After Enrique said “Amen”, he told the woman that he sensed that she wanted to say something to God.  After an awkward moment of silence, the lady burst into tears and said that she prays everyday asking God to take away the bitterness from her heart and to help her with the sadness and loneliness that she feels.  Enrique told her that instead of just asking God to take away those depressing feelings, she could give her life to Christ and let Him take over the reigns.  Not just be a copilot and help out, but give her whole being to God and allow Him to be in control of her life.  She said that she was ready to do that.  So we prayed again. 

This time, the woman prayed too and asked God to come into her life and take over.  It was beautiful.  I told the lady that when we ask for things like a better car or to not be sick anymore or for a scholarship, we don’t know if God is going to say yes or no.  We don’t know His will in those regards.  But one thing that God will definitely act on and grant is when we surrender to Him and ask for Him to come into our lives and help us, He will!  He wants to give us rest.  I shared Matthew 11:28-29 with her.

Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest.