OFF TO HAMILTON - I was at Faith Bible College in Tauranga in 1980. During my time there I was invited to a friend’s engagement party in Hamilton . As I do with all things, I asked the Lord if it was the right thing to do. I felt at peace about going ( Col 3:15 ) so headed off late morning as I had to hitchhike. I walked for some distance and asked the Lord if He could organise a lift for me. I kept walking out of the built up area and couldn’t help but wonder why I wasn’t getting picked up. Hitchhiking wasn’t a hard thing to do back in 1980!
INSTRUCTIONS FROM ABOVE
As I walked around a bend in the road, the Lord said to me “Les, do you see that house over there on the hill?” I replied “Yes Lord.” He said “Go and knock on the door.”
FEAR
I immediately felt afraid. There is no way I wanted to go and knock on that door! At that moment I saw some more cars coming towards me and I put my thumb out. The cars went straight past me and I continued to walk past the gate of that house.
Then the Lord said to me “Les, if you don’t do what you have told, you will be walking for a very long time!”
It is not pleasant to have the Lord talk to you in such a manner! I said “Ok Lord, but please give me the courage.” I immediately felt very bold and marched right up to that gate. I hesitated at the gate, lost my courage, but it returned when I asked for it back.
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
I walked up the long drive to the house and knocked on the door. A man, the sole occupant of the house called out “What do you want?” The trouble was, I didn’t know what I wanted. I had no clue as to why the Lord wanted me there! I asked him if he knew the Lord and he said “Yeah, I’m a Catholic.” It was pretty obvious that he didn’t really know the Lord, so I started telling him of some miracles I had seen, such as my father’s back being healed. I was getting no-where and making no impression at all with this guy.
THE VISION
Feeling kind of exasperated I asked the Lord what I was there for. Suddenly I saw a vision that was made up of several ‘clouds’ that surrounded the man. In each cloud except the last one the man was working. He was doing things like fencing, wood cutting, mustering sheep, shearing etc. The Lord gave me the understanding of what I was seeing and I was able to relate it to the man.
When I told him that he had always worked, but now that he was out of work he felt that his life wasn’t worth living. His jaw just about hit the deck as he asked me how I knew. The Lord had gained his attention. We talked some more before I headed off. I arranged to meet him the next day and take him to church. Just before I left he said he had something to tell me. When he was in the shower that morning he had prayed and my turning up was an answer to prayer.
TIME TO GO
I walked down the long drive and just as I walked out the gate a car pulled up. The elderly couple said "We don't usually pick up hitchhikers, but you look like a nice young man." They were going to a house in Hamilton just around the corner from where I was going! Talk about provision! Incidently, they were Christians too!
OFF TO CHURCH
On the way back to Tauranga I got a ride from one of the other christians that were at the function. He was more than happy to pick the guy up and take us to church. He responded to the call to go up for prayer and met with God there. I lost contact with him after that, but think of him often. Nothing is wasted in God's economy so I hope that he has continued to walk with God.
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INSTRUCTIONS FROM ABOVE
As I walked around a bend in the road, the Lord said to me “Les, do you see that house over there on the hill?” I replied “Yes Lord.” He said “Go and knock on the door.”
FEAR
I immediately felt afraid. There is no way I wanted to go and knock on that door! At that moment I saw some more cars coming towards me and I put my thumb out. The cars went straight past me and I continued to walk past the gate of that house.
Then the Lord said to me “Les, if you don’t do what you have told, you will be walking for a very long time!”
It is not pleasant to have the Lord talk to you in such a manner! I said “Ok Lord, but please give me the courage.” I immediately felt very bold and marched right up to that gate. I hesitated at the gate, lost my courage, but it returned when I asked for it back.
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
I walked up the long drive to the house and knocked on the door. A man, the sole occupant of the house called out “What do you want?” The trouble was, I didn’t know what I wanted. I had no clue as to why the Lord wanted me there! I asked him if he knew the Lord and he said “Yeah, I’m a Catholic.” It was pretty obvious that he didn’t really know the Lord, so I started telling him of some miracles I had seen, such as my father’s back being healed. I was getting no-where and making no impression at all with this guy.
THE VISION
Feeling kind of exasperated I asked the Lord what I was there for. Suddenly I saw a vision that was made up of several ‘clouds’ that surrounded the man. In each cloud except the last one the man was working. He was doing things like fencing, wood cutting, mustering sheep, shearing etc. The Lord gave me the understanding of what I was seeing and I was able to relate it to the man.
When I told him that he had always worked, but now that he was out of work he felt that his life wasn’t worth living. His jaw just about hit the deck as he asked me how I knew. The Lord had gained his attention. We talked some more before I headed off. I arranged to meet him the next day and take him to church. Just before I left he said he had something to tell me. When he was in the shower that morning he had prayed and my turning up was an answer to prayer.
TIME TO GO
I walked down the long drive and just as I walked out the gate a car pulled up. The elderly couple said "We don't usually pick up hitchhikers, but you look like a nice young man." They were going to a house in Hamilton just around the corner from where I was going! Talk about provision! Incidently, they were Christians too!
OFF TO CHURCH
On the way back to Tauranga I got a ride from one of the other christians that were at the function. He was more than happy to pick the guy up and take us to church. He responded to the call to go up for prayer and met with God there. I lost contact with him after that, but think of him often. Nothing is wasted in God's economy so I hope that he has continued to walk with God.
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