Yours to Hold

The smell of urine was thick tonight. It was almost too much for me to bare. I think God is preparing me for the orphanage.

"It is humbling when as you are praying for a homeless man he begins to pray for you"- Paul

Words cant really express of convey accurately the feelings I had. It was different tonight. I saw a side of a few that I hadnt seen before, anger and fear. I wasnt afraid though. I had a calmness about me. I knew that God was there. He was meeting these people right there on the urine soaked cement. He was laying with them as they tried to keep warm and sleep. 

One man had just gotten his Bible. He wanted to show us and read for us. It was in Arabic. I had to see.

The joy on his face at being able to read God's words in his language was humbling. How many Bibles we have and never open. How easy it is to get our hands on a Bible and yet we dont take advantage of that. This man was full. He had his Bible and a sac lunch and hot coco, he was happy.

 "Look! Look!" he said and then he would start reading to us. "And here!" and turn the pages and read another verse he loved. He was sharing the gospel with me, joyfully. A homeless man. He took the time to share with me God's word right there on the cold, dark, damp street. He didnt care what time it was. He wasnt in a hurry.

I sat on the ground and bravely ask questions I would not normally ask. "How...why? Um.. you look like an upper middle class guy how did you and your girl end up here?" I sat and listened as a man told me about his past and redemption. Prison and bad choices had  left a stain on him and now 20 years later it was still haunting him. He couldnt find a job because of his mistakes, but he knew his God would provide. "God gave me grace and covered my sins, but in this world my background makes it hard for me to get a job. I dont just sit here on the street all day. In the morning me and her get up and we go to the library and we look at the jobs online. Next week we will be bell ringers. Its not like no one cares. There are ministries that come out here wanting to help and I accept it. God takes care of us." 

Then he went into the Bible and the way we are so blind now a days. He spoke about being ready when the Lord comes and knowing that the end is near. I joked and said that soon he would have his home in Glory then, a roof, a real home. "I dont care about what I get in Heaven I just want my people there. I want to see my mom." This man really knew his Bible. "People come by every night and some say arent you afraid? Afraid of what I say? If God is for me who can be against me?" 

We sat for a long time talking about God, the world as it is now, the Bible, family and jobs. Someone tried to offer him pizza but he refused saying. "thank you but we have more than enough right now."

All he needs, all his girl needs is someone to take a chance on them. He wasnt asking for a handout he just wanted a chance to work. 

I left there feeling uplifted and like I had just been to a really inspiring church service. As I walked away I knew that I knew that one day Paul and I would see Ken in Heaven. It wasnt about reciting a prayer of words made up by a preacher. It was living Christ like, being humble and obeying God and His word. Ken did this. He loved God and I imagine a day when he will run into Jesus arms smiling and jumping and knowing he finally was home.

Another street, more people. Cold, dark, smelly.

Each person getting a need met because people chose to put their lives on hold and go to the street to be His hands and feet.

The hot chocolate was a hit, as were the hot dogs (still warm) and the warm burritos. 

A mans was screaming about war as a young man knelt down beside him to listen. The young man was there like every other night handing out food, praying, talking with and listening to these people. Tonight he took the brunt of this man's angry words and just listened. The angry man I imagine was more afraid than angry. He seem to have PTSD and was a vet. Not a very old man age wise but aged from fighting wars and seeing too much of things we shouldnt see. After the man tired out the young man walked away. He wasnt hurt, he wasnt afraid, he was being Christ like for a hurt man in need of healing. 

 Of course there was time for fun too. I mean when besides midnight could you bull ride a moving car?

Being on the streets tonight reminded me of a Skillet song. Yours to Hold

I see you standing here

But you're so far away
Starving for your attention
You don't even know my name

You're going through so much
But I know that I could be the one to hold you

[Chorus:]

Every single day
I find it hard to say
I could be yours alone
You will see someday
That all along the way
I was yours to hold
I was yours to hold
I see you walking by
Your hair always hiding your face
I wonder why you've been hurting
I wish I had some way to say

You're going through so much

Don't you know that I could be the one to hold you

I'm stretching but you're just out of reach
You should know
I'm ready when you're ready for me
And I'm waiting for the right time
For the day I catch your eye
To let you know
That I'm yours to hold

I'm stretching but you're just out of reach
I'm ready when you're ready for me

Some know Jesus and all He does and will do for them. They know His love and they bask in it.  Others they dont see Him, they dont feel Him, dont even know His name, but He is there waiting for the right time to hold them, to hold us.  We are living in times of such vanity to think that we can do it all we dont need Him. And still He waits ready to catch us when we fall, ready to take the hurtful words we spew at Him, taking it all, paying the price because He loves us.

Be blessed