stuff in a northern suburbs cafe. Suddenly from behind us a voice calls out: “Excuse me, do you two know where I might find a church out this way?”
We turned and found ourselves in conversation with a young woman and an older friend of hers. The younger woman told us her story about how challenging life had been to her and how in despair, after moving from city to city, she had found herself alone in Melbourne facing serious surgery.
She had been befriended and cared for by a local woman who was clearly a follower of Jesus. Her authentic faith had deeply touched the young woman, and she had come to faith.
She had found hope and compassion beyond her wildest dreams! It was amazing to see her radiant face and hear the joy in her voice. Now, some weeks later, she had been sitting in the same café as my colleague and I, and sharing with another of her friends about her experience of Jesus – and asking about local churches she might join with!
Our sitting on the next table was just another answer to prayer for her! And she wanted to talk about her experience and ask questions about how to grow spiritually!
You know, I’ve had four other similar ‘interruptions’ to cafe conversations in the last while. Not conversations I've initiated, but people so hungry to talk about, or ask about faith and meaning, who have not been able to resist jumping into interrupting strangers, once they’ve figured out that there were Jesus followers on an adjacent table.
In the midst of the lonely and materialistic world we inhabit – there is a ripe harvest! People are hungry for belonging, meaning, forgiveness and hope.
God is at work around and ahead of us and calls us to serve alongside. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us....” Eph. 3:20 : (NIV)