Out of the Wilderness (Part 3 of "Our Stories)
"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." (James 5:16)
Working my way up the corporate ladder in a Fortune 500 company in Orlando, Florida, I was focusing on worldly success. Church was not a part of the equation. That’s when I received a surprise visit from my brother, Duane.
Duane, who is twelve years older than me, was serving as a pastor in Scotland when God spoke to him about his younger brother. I had come to an important crossroads in my life. Depending on which road I chose, my life journey would have two very different outcomes. Duane booked a flight and came to Orlando, where he challenged me to trust God’s plans for my future. I’ll never forget the prayer he prayed as he asked God to guide me and open my heart through faith.
Soon afterward, Duane returned to Scotland. He continued to pray for me, and his prayers became very specific. Duane prayed that I would find a strong, healthy church where I could be encouraged by other Christians. He also prayed God would heal my broken heart and lead me into a relationship with a woman of deep faith. The answer to both these prayers was swift and powerful.
A few days after Duane left, I was on my way to play tennis with my friend, David. Having grown up together in Atlanta, it was a pleasant surprise when David accepted a job in Orlando. We both enjoyed tennis and golf and spent as much time as possible on the courts or fairways. On this particular day, as we drove to the club together, David made an unusual suggestion. It was time, according to David, that he and I started attending church. What better place to meet girls and get involved with sports teams than in a thriving church filled with young adults? As David shared his thoughts with me, I sensed God at work. I knew something much deeper than pretty girls and basketball teams was up. And I was right.
A few weeks later, after visiting several churches, David and I pulled into the parking lot of a church whose address we found in the phone book. (Back in the days of old, before the internet!) It was a small church, and it didn’t look like the kind of place for sports or girls.
David, who was growing tired of these church visits, suggested we skip church and go play golf. But I insisted, and since I was driving, he didn’t have much choice. I pushed the gas pedal to the floor of my Camaro and roared out of the parking lot, promising to stop at the next church we came to regardless of its size.
Just a short distance away, we came to the First Baptist Church of Sweetwater, Florida. Arriving late, we found the church filled to capacity and were seated in the only space available, the front row. The pastor preached that morning on the living water that Jesus offers to all. I was deeply moved and decided to return that night for an evening worship service. David, however, was finished visiting churches, and I had to go alone. (I’ll finish this story tomorrow.)
In Christ,
Dan