A “wild goose chase” with God is never futile!
December 16, 2013
A “wild goose chase” with God is never futile!
I want to share a great story with you that began last year. Sometimes when we let the Holy Spirit lead us, we feel like HE is taking us on a wild goose chase but know this, God knows exactly what HE is doing... Our job is to simply LISTEN, OBEY (immediately) and TRUST!!!
Last year a Christian man entered our church one Sunday morning with a young weathered man named Joe that he had picked up while hitchhiking. The Christian man shared the love of Christ with Joe during the drive and when they got to their destination city, the Christian asked Joe if we wanted to go to a church to hear more about this love of God. Surprisingly to the Christian, Joe accepted and this was the morning I met my new friend. My heart really went out to this young man for some reason. I took his phone number and kept in touch with him.
God gave me an opportunity to take him grocery shopping and to buy him lunch and this lead to Joe sharing all about his childhood. Much too long to get into here but suffice to say that he no longer had any contact with his dad and his mom’s current partner didn’t want to have anything to do with Joe. I came to learn that he had really been in survival mode since he was about 15 years old. Today, Joe is still a boy on the run but I have always kept in touch with him via Facebook. A few months ago the Lord put it on my heart to go see him and take him to a testimonial supper in the town where he was currently residing. I had seen this Christian speaker only a few weeks prior in my own hometown. I really thought this story would touch Joe. In addition, since it was a supper conference, I felt he would definitely accept my invitation, even if it was just for a free meal. When I called him to see if he wanted to go he said “Sure, can I bring my girlfriend?” So of course, I was excited that I would be bringing not only one person but two people that needed to hear about the love of Jesus. As I was driving to the town (about 90 minute drive), I was praying for Joe and the Lord told me to also pray for his girlfriend, so I did.
We had a nice evening and the girlfriend, Isa, was very touched by the testimony. She shared with me that she had almost died in a car accident a few years prior. The boy that was driving died immediately on impact. She went through intense therapy to get back on her feet. I was in complete “awe” how God had put this young lady on my path that night. I bought her the book that the speaker wrote and I left them in the hands of a Christian couple I had met a few weeks earlier at the same event in my hometown. This couple were so full of LOVE and “yes” they lived in the same town as Joe and Isa...How cool is that!! God really arranges everything doesn’t He?
I was to give my testimony at my church a few weeks later and asked this Christian couple if they would be willing to come and to bring Joe and Isa along with them. The couple gladly accepted however unfortunately, Joe and Isa backed down at the last minute. Interestingly enough, however, Isa had shared with me that she had a brother named Steve that lived in a foster home and gave me the name of the town. I just so happened to have a young man named Carl that I have been mentoring spiritually for the last five years and he also lives in a foster home in the same town. Well sure enough, when I called Carl and asked him if there was a Steve living in his home he said “yes”... another God-incident.
A friend of mine had already made plans to bring Carl to my testimonial breakfast so I asked Carl to invite Steve to come along with him. Not only did Steve come but he accepted Christ that day!!! PRAISE GOD!
This past Sunday I saw Steve at my former church (this is where I met Carl). I went there since a man was giving his testimony and I really wanted to hear his story. Afterwards, I took Steve out for lunch and he shared with me that since he gave his life to Christ last month he has stopped drinking. He had been drinking since he was 15 (today he is 28). I told him it was the grace of God that had given him the strength to quit.
The more I learn to trust God; HE never ceases to amaze me. I just feel so blessed today to be an instrument in HIS hands. I have another “wild goose hunt” story I’d like to share with you at some point if you are interested (just let me know in the comments below) but for now be blessed as God wants to take YOU on the ride of your life too … all you need to do is hang on tight (to HIM), TRUST and SMILE.
Lisa D'eschambault