1 Chronicles 16:7-36
My friend Mike was living in a tent under the bridge two weeks ago.
For the last sixteen years, he's been in and out of prison. He's been a drug dealer. He's been a lunatic. He's been addicted to crystal meth. He's been married and divorced. He's seen his kids get taken away. He's seen his parents abandon him, left to the foster system.
He's lost it all.
I met Mike through another friend of mine, who came across him one day and noticed that he was in need. We started hanging out in his garage, talking, praying, listening, strategizing, emailing, and praying more.
We asked Mike, "What do you want?"
He replied, "A good woman, a roof over my head, and a job."
Mike woke up one morning in the tent to the sound of the police. He was trespassing, so the officers put him in their car and took him to the streets of Houston. "You can't stay here," they told him.
He sat on a curb after they dropped him off and cried. He was done. He lost all hope.
And then, the good woman showed up. She had a car, which turned out to be a shelter.
As my friend and I spent time with Mike in the garage, and paid attention to what he was saying, we started hearing a new story. Mike started praying with us and for us. Mike started talking about God and the scriptures he was reading.
Then, another friend showed up on the scene. He has a house, which has an extra room, which Mike is moving into today. This other friend also has a business, which has an extra position open, which Mike was hired for.
In one month, Mike has seen sixteen years of chaos, drugs, prison, and homelessness come to a screeching halt. He's stepped into a new story, drawn by the simple prayers and conversations about the Bible in a garage.
With the help of friends, Mike started pressing into the things he wanted, but he didn't want the same things anymore. It was time to grow up and become human again.
Mike's world is being rocked by a God who cares too much about us to let us continue suffering.
I'm once again floored at the way someone can have such a dramatic change in their life, in such a short time. Who could be the cause of it other than a God who cares about the details, who loves us even when we're unlovable, who's there in the crack house and the church house? Who's calling, and drawing, and listening, and moving, and creating, and shaping, and delivering? The Lord our God.
Today's Action: "Think of the wonderful works He has done," and do one thing to help Mike get the glasses he needs.
For the last sixteen years, he's been in and out of prison. He's been a drug dealer. He's been a lunatic. He's been addicted to crystal meth. He's been married and divorced. He's seen his kids get taken away. He's seen his parents abandon him, left to the foster system.
He's lost it all.
I met Mike through another friend of mine, who came across him one day and noticed that he was in need. We started hanging out in his garage, talking, praying, listening, strategizing, emailing, and praying more.
We asked Mike, "What do you want?"
He replied, "A good woman, a roof over my head, and a job."
Mike woke up one morning in the tent to the sound of the police. He was trespassing, so the officers put him in their car and took him to the streets of Houston. "You can't stay here," they told him.
He sat on a curb after they dropped him off and cried. He was done. He lost all hope.
And then, the good woman showed up. She had a car, which turned out to be a shelter.
As my friend and I spent time with Mike in the garage, and paid attention to what he was saying, we started hearing a new story. Mike started praying with us and for us. Mike started talking about God and the scriptures he was reading.
Then, another friend showed up on the scene. He has a house, which has an extra room, which Mike is moving into today. This other friend also has a business, which has an extra position open, which Mike was hired for.
In one month, Mike has seen sixteen years of chaos, drugs, prison, and homelessness come to a screeching halt. He's stepped into a new story, drawn by the simple prayers and conversations about the Bible in a garage.
With the help of friends, Mike started pressing into the things he wanted, but he didn't want the same things anymore. It was time to grow up and become human again.
Mike's world is being rocked by a God who cares too much about us to let us continue suffering.
I'm once again floored at the way someone can have such a dramatic change in their life, in such a short time. Who could be the cause of it other than a God who cares about the details, who loves us even when we're unlovable, who's there in the crack house and the church house? Who's calling, and drawing, and listening, and moving, and creating, and shaping, and delivering? The Lord our God.
Today's Action: "Think of the wonderful works He has done," and do one thing to help Mike get the glasses he needs.
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