The Love of the Lord
My irritation and arrogance fell away at the Holy Spirit’s revelation…I tumbled into God’s river of tender grace and love.
This happened several years before the economic financial disaster in which we now find ourselves. We reserved a room in my hometown to visit relatives. I never dreamed I was on the verge of an assignment from Heaven! I was in a haughty, grumpy mood about the property…I felt the breakfast bar was just half-there, and the coffee wasn’t there yet. I felt the lights were too dim. I was accustomed to better. I told my husband sarcastically that the owner must be afraid he couldn’t pay the bill.
My husband left, but I stayed to have prayer time. Immediately I felt guilty for my haughty attitude. I humbled myself and started confessing my sin of pride and impatience, asking for help to walk in God’s love and to be used to pour out that love to others.
The next thing that happened was TOTALLY unexpected. I heard the inward voice of the Holy Spirit saying, “He IS worried about paying the light bill.”
Suddenly the curtain of time and space was pulled back, and I could see like God sees; not just the young man’s clothes and face but his mind, emotions, and also his heart. I saw God’s concern and love for this young Indian man who owned the motel, a young man who was SO different from me, and yet no different at all. Heaven came down, and the compassion of the Lord flooded me, telling me, God loved him and knew his anxious thoughts; and my assignment was to tell him.
When Jesus comes, the tempter’s snare is broken and the stone is rolled away! My stony heart was gone, and I was filled with humility.
When I found the owner in the hall, I told him that I knew he was very worried about the business. His astonished look, the tear-filled eyes, will forever live in my memory…
He was incredulous and asked how did I KNOW? I told him that during my prayers Jesus’ Holy Spirit told me all about it. I asked if he was a Christian and learned he was Hindu but had once read the bible.
How happy I was to tell him that Jesus and His Holy Spirit were full of love for him and knew everything about his life. He asked if I’d heard words or how I actually got the knowledge about his worries? So he could better understand who the Holy Spirit is I asked him to read John chapters 14, 15, 16 later.
The next day the owner shared that he and his wife had lost the first baby but were expecting again. When I offered prayer for his business and the baby, he was eager, appreciative and unashamed. I left a tiny booklet that further explained how to accept salvation. I told him God’s love is very great and He communicates with us through His word and His spirit
A few months later, my brother, who lives there, visited the motel owner to offer prayer for salvation. But he said “From the day your sister prayed I have had Jesus in my heart.”
What unbelievable opportunities do we miss because we don’t take time to pray, seek God and confess our sins?
How great is the love of our God!! How real His spirit’s leading and guidance. He wants all to receive salvation! The word Salvation is from the Greek word SoZo and includes freedom from the power and guilt of sin, physical healing and mental well being, deliverance from destruction, peace and favor with almighty God. We can’t save ourselves. Salvation is from the Lord.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes My messenger is welcoming Me, and anyone who welcomes Me is welcoming the Father who sent Me” (John 13:20).