Anyone who knows me well will not be surprised to find the words "wandering cluelessly" in a story involving me. While it's usually just an annoying trait derived from my absentmindedness, sometimes it's actually useful because everyone knows that if something happens, it's from God and not from me. Paul had nothing on me when it comes to cluelessness:
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Today started out as a really crappy day. Can I say "crappy" here? I guess I can. Living in a foreign culture that is often hostile can be tiring on the soul, and rather quickly. Today was bad, and then God did a miracle in my weakness.
I went to buy falafel for supper, and the Sheikh who owns the falafel stand struck up a conversation with me about the Virgin Mary, because the Maronites here worship her like a goddess. That led to a conversation about the birth of Jesus, and I was really struggling with my Arabic. The Sheikh speaks no English, and by that I mean none at all.
Now, I had a plan. Recently a friend taught me some of his Gospel-sharing principles that he had learned from a workshop. Based on his advice, I had prepared an Arabic Bible app on my phone for just such occasions, so I whipped it out and... it wouldn't load. I had tested it out already but now it wasn't working. Lord, I thought, I just want to share a scripture with the Sheikh, help me out here! So, frustrated a bit, I went home for Supper.
I decided to get my Bible app working again, skip Church, and go back to revisit the Sheikh. I feel pretty sure Jesus would approve skipping Church for such purposes. Our internet was out, so I couldn't download the Bible module I needed, so I figured out that problem and got it working. Then I couldn't remember my password, so I reset that. Then I couldn't access the web server because it was apparently offline. Lord, I thought, I just want to share a scripture with the Sheikh, help me out here! So, frustrated, I grabbed my hardback paper Bible and headed out.
The Sheikh knew what I had in my hand as soon as I walked in the door. He had a very awkward look and I wasn't sure he was glad to see me. I told him that my Arabic wasn't good enough to explain the story, so I brought it to him to read. Someone asked him what was in my hand and he said, hesitantly, "The Holy Book" (The Bible). Great, I thought, I may as well have leprosy now.
My plans had been falling apart all day. It was time for the Holy Spirit to work.
He read the story of the birth of Jesus and was hooked from the first word. He asked questions, and read several more stories about the Creation, and about John the Baptist. We talked for a long time about the Bible, and I told him how it was written. As it was getting late, at the end of our visit I wished him well, and headed back home.
As I was leaving, he said "Do you think you could get me a Bible like that in Arabic and English?"
It was probably strange to see me stop so suddenly, but I was floored. The Sheikh asked me for a Bible? I thought this stuff only happened to professionals. I told him I'd be glad to get him a Bible, of course. As I turned to leave, a gentle voice reminded me "You have one in your hand."
So, now my Bible is the Sheikh's Bible. As I was walking by later on the way to the market, he was standing on the side of the street showing it to someone. He was proud of it. He waved to me and shouted "I'll take this home and read it!"
So, you know what I'm about to ask. God's Word does not go out and return void.
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Will you join me in praying for the work of the Holy Spirit in my friend Abdullah? Right now he has the blessed and Holy Word of God in his hand and is reading it. That is powerful! It's out of my bumbling hands and in the hands of the Master. Please pray with me for his work!
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