 |
| Photo taken by my sister in law, Melonie.. I love this photo! http://www.fifphotography.com/ |
Today was one of those beautiful days. Sometimes, when I least expect it, I can subtly feel the tapping of the Holy Spirt.. softly tapping....upon my shoulder...whispering ever so gracefully into my ear.
I long for my more of the Holy Spirit because of the beauty I find through obedience to the still, small voice... the sense of overwhelming "rightness" that beams like a thousand suns into the most dismal of days..
Today, He found me at the grocery store. Jesus, in His wonderful way, directed me towards a little old lady persuing through the baked goods of the bakery.
She reminded me of my grandmother in appearance. She moved slowly..eyes pointed downward. There was something sad about the way she moved. something solemn...
Sometimes God allows me to feel His great love for particular individuals. Today, it was the solemn persuser of the bakery aisle.
I collected my groceries for work and I ran into her again near the cheeses. The tapping continues... tap..tap..tap.. "extend your hand of grace".. "extend My hand of grace to this lady"
I walked up to her and told her that I would like to buy her groceries. She looked at me as if I was from a foreign planet..as if the words itself were an unknown utterance from another time and place.
She grabbed me by the arm and humbly said.."Now why would you want to do that?" I told her that she reminded me of my grandmother. I told her that Jesus asked me to buy them for her. She proclaimed that in her entire lengthy time on earth, no one has ever offered to buy her groceries. She looked completely shocked.
She replied that she was only there to kill time, but would like some milk. She had an Easter cake in her cart. I told her to please get whatever she needed...I assured her that is something that I want to do..
While she proceeds to the dairy section, I decide to surprise her with an Easter Lily. They were on sale at the front of the store.
A few minutes later she meets me near the checkout. I asked her what she is doing for Easter. "My husband died. I'm a widow. I'll be spending Easter alone, she replied." I offered to take her cart and put it away, as I proceeded to put her items into my cart. She replied that she would like to keep her cart. She explained that she needed something to lean on. She recently had back surgery.
I bought her items and then gave her the Easter Lily. She continued to thank me, but I simply told her how much Jesus loves her.
As I was driving away, I thought.. "That is Jesus."
Wonderful Jesus. The One who cares for the broken. The One who puts Easter Lilies on tables of lonely widows and shines as a bright light of Hope when the call of His voice is heeded.
I thought about not writing about this...I don't want accolades. I don't want credit. I want anonymity. I don't want to be a Pharisee boasting in the street about the good works I have done.
But I thought..I don't want credit for this... This is Jesus. This is who HE is... this is not me..
A few years ago, I was the base woman with a penchant for deception and all sorts of other vices... . A woman who cried herself to sleep night after night from all of the anger and hatred.. and the loathing from unforgiveness.
But then, I met this wonderful man named Jesus. And this is who He is... the man whose gentle tapping..buys groceries for little old, lonely ladies and on days that should be ordinary but because of love, they are anything but.... .and shines as a beacon of hope to the lost.
Jesus, you can tap on my shoulder any day of the week.
No comments:
Post a Comment