Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Jabez & the Mouth from the South

Sounds kinda like a children's book, doesn't it?

This weekend I had an amazing moment. One of those, "okay God, go ahead!" and He goes... sort of moments. Christie has been reading "The Prayer of Jabez," and the little old pair we are, whatever she's reading she'll usually end up reading out loud to me.

The prayer of Jabez goes...

And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested. (NKJV)

Christie was in the second chapter: "Enlarge my territory." Essentially a prayer that asks God to expand our ministry. The author, Bruce Wikinson, marvels at the way God answers this prayer when we ask Him for ministry.

Fast forward to this Saturday... 11pm... Santa Ana... sitting inside an In&Out because AAA has yet to come rescue Morgan and I from our keys-unfortunately-in-locked-car experience. (We'd just come from a Not For Sale event and had left early for the trek back to Santa Barbara. Morgan my fabulous NFS intern and darling friend!). The rain was pouring, and we were now slumped in red plastic swivel chairs hoping the tow truck would ring before we experienced the "Out" of that fine establishment. (We'd long outstayed our welcome at Starbucks an hour earlier.) That to say... it was one of those slightly defeated, hurry up and wait, goodness we have a long drive ahead, sort of evenings.

And so I prayed the prayer. "God, expand my territory. There's nothing I can do, so give me ministry."

And He did. Within that very minute, a security guard strolled inside to wake the woman, head down against her book and fast asleep, at the table next to me. The woman I'd hardly noticed. We made eye contact, I smiled. She made some comment about needing to stay awake, I made an offer to buy her dinner (my ministry!). She said she'd already eaten (nevermind) but that she could really use finances for laundry. She was a Christian she said, and studying international business actually. And she'd pay me back if I had anything (my ministry!). I opened my wallet... to find one dollar (seriously?). I gave her that apologetically... but a conversation had begun.

We talked for who knows how long. She went on about her faith and falling away. All the years she missed knowing the Lord but her passion now for His kingdom. She told me about miseducation in math keeping her out of college at 19, but her determination today to press through it, to get her degree in International Business. We talked about our love for languages and places, and she asked me to write my email on the map in the back of her Bible -- so we could be penpals. "Oh do I have stories to tell you!" she exclaimed, nearly leaping from her seat. "And I have the mouth from the South! Oh just you wait." A few years back a newspaper did a story on her: a homeless woman in college. She said she'd send me the link! She wants to do inspirational speaking.

Albeit to say, I pulled out my checkbook and wrote her the amount that was on my heart. That week she'd tried to buy health insurance for her mother, and it turns out she'd come up $20 less of what I'd given her. "Oh and I'll pay you back!" she exclaimed. I just asked her to give it back to others when she had money again. "Oh I just love to give!" raved this woman. "It's the most freeing thing."

I left that night, exhausted and dishelved, and praising God for putting me and using me exactly where He wanted me.

Pray for expanded territory. For ministry wherever you are. Be ready though! You'll be amazed.