Chapter – 43 ‘Valentine visits a friend’
Valentine had just dropped Rebekah at the church entrance. She needed to hurry to her class and prepare a couple of verses for her youth group. The new teenaged girl had felt shunned the week prior and told her dad she wasn’t going back. Rebekah wanted to have a few examples of the ‘Golden Rule’ to talk about with her youth group.
Valentine parked further out in the lot than normal. As he stepped out onto the blacktop he saw a single lady getting out of her car. He had never seen her before. For all he knew she could have been a New York model; she was extremely tall and beautiful as she walked near him. He spoke, “Good morning.” She just looked at him and nodded. She wasn’t frowning but she didn’t crack a smile at him either.
As she walked past, she took long strides toward the front of the church; it wasn’t long until she was a good thirty feet in front of him. She didn’t appear to be walking fast but her strides ate up the distance fast. Today was mission weekend and half a dozen activities were planned so he wondered if the lady knew that the agenda for the day would be a little different.
Valentine was in-charge of the seed packing portion of the morning. A few of the volunteers would be packing several different veggie seeds into small packages and they would be sent to the Dominican in late January. As he finished with the early group of volunteers he took a break for a drink. As he was walking back he saw the mystery woman sitting near the beauticians. They were cutting 6-8 inches of hair from some of the women to be used for wigs for future cancer patients.
His second group of seed packers finished a little early. He needed to pick up a container from the cooler in the back of his vehicle in the parking lot. The same lady who he had seen earlier walked past him; she looked into his face but once again there was no smile from her. She was out the door an instant later walking ahead of him. “Who was she and why had he never seen her before? Should he have tried to talk and see if something was bothering her emotionally or spiritually,” he wondered as he watched her walk off.
He was thinking that sometimes God will put a person right in front of you who needed a special prayer or was just needing a friendly word. Now Valentine was really wondering if maybe God had wanted to use him but he missed the opportunity. Then he wondered, “If so, would God give him a second chance to minister?”
A week later he did the same routine and wondered if the lady would be back. In his mind he had thought how he might speak to her but he never saw her.
One of his high school friends, Oley, called the next week and asked Valentine to meet him at the hospital. “My mother is real sick and my older sister is in town visiting for just a few more days. Would you pray for my mom?” Valentine was about to walk into the room when he saw the mystery lady sitting beside the patient and Oley was there talking with both of them. Valentine waved toward his friend and he stepped toward Valentine. “Thanks for coming up. You are the only person I know who ever prayed while we were in school together. Haven’t seen you for a few years.”
Valentine looked at the mother and commented, “I remember you ma-am’; you invited me for dinner a few times our senior year after ball practice.” Oley’s mother smiled and told him she remembered him well. “I was so sorry to read about your young wife dying, Jaye. I remembered her and you helping Oley with our yard sale one Saturday; thank you.”
Oley spoke then, “Mom had her bladder out but there is infection. It’s not good so would you mind praying for her.” Valentine commented, “Yes, I can do that but let me talk with you a few minutes about the Lord.” He explained as much of the gospel that he could, in just a few short minutes. He was about to pray when he remembered how at times the Deacons anoint with oil and lay hands on the one being prayed for. He spoke, “I’m going to put my hand on your shoulder and pray. Oley, why don’t you take your sisters hand and do the same.” Valentine prayed that the spirit would become the mediator and have the power of God to be the Great physical healer. James 5:14-16. It was not a short prayer but he hoped that the Lord would show mercy and find favor; then answer it with a positive outcome. Matthew 9:20-22.
There was a tear coming down from the cheek of Oley’s mom. He knew in his heart that he would have his preacher–dad come visit her the next day. When he looked toward Oley’s sister her whole face had tears streaming down and falling on her blouse. She tried to smile but her tears had turned into a soft cry and she could not speak. He didn’t know her name but he felt that God was giving him the opportunity to speak with her about the atonement that Jesus offers. Half an hour later she had spoken from the heart and asked Christ to become her Lord. Before he left he promised to stop in again the next evening. He planned to bring Rebekah and let her talk to the women while he spoke with Oley about earthly choices.
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The question; does God ever give us a second chance, to talk with a person that we failed to encounter with the gospel message, after failing on our first chance? Let us hope and pray for a 2nd chance.
Scripture reference
James 5:14-16, Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. [Do you pray for others?]
Matthew 9:20-22, And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak; 21 for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” 22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” At once the woman was made well. Question; How much Faith do we have; my prayer is, Lord, fill me with FAITH.
DG