A Most Unusual Night

Wasn't sure how the evening would turn out. Seth Barber was to be our speaker and he always brings a good word, one that is relevant to the guys and their recovery. I was kind of up in the air about worship...should I play this song or should I drop it. I spent the better part of the day trying to hear what to do. Even as we started the meeting, it felt disjointed and like we were trying to make something happen. When ever that happens, I always try to just step back and remind myself that God is in control....it is His meeting, not mine.



We had the message first instead of worship (out of necessity). Seth laid a good foundation for a time of prayer at the end. The message was from II Samuel, telling the story of Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan. Very much in line with 12 step teaching about being powerless and seeking a power greater than ourselves who could restore us to sanity.


We moved into worship and you could tell (not at first but as we moved through the song set) that God was going to do something. I talked about what it meant to be saved. To have the power, pull and influence of sin broken and being free to chase God in our every day life. When I asked who was feeling their heart being affected ( racing, beating fast, not sure what to make of it---have no language to describe what is going on...you just know you are uncomfortable) 8 men raised their hands. We prayed together and as we did, you could tell that God was doing a work. Several of the men were crying, heads down, shoulders slumped.....but it wasn't tears of sadness, but relief and joy. They had been saved.



The cool part was what didn't happen. Sometimes the power of God's Holy Spirit is not always evident. During the service a young man who was present, stood and slowly made his way to the back door and left. I didn't think much of what had happened.....maybe he had to go to the bathroom. Later, he returned after we had finished and wanted to talk. He was having a hard time putting into words what was going on. With tears in his eyes, he handed me a folded sheet of paper and said, "Just pray for me." Here is the content of the note.

Brother Mike
I don't know how to explain to you how I feel. But I had to leave the service tonight because I felt ashamed of myself because i want to live like God wants me to but there is always something telling me not to. I'm not worthy of God's time but I just can't shake that feeling. It hurts and breaks my heart that I hurt God. I know that Satan thinks I'm a nobody, but God tells me everyday that I'm somebody. I just want you to pray for me. I want to be the servant that God wants me to be. Pray for me..........I need it badly.

Pray we did.
I'm asking that you join me in these prayers that God would continue to cover this young man and stir his heart until he steps across spiritually into the new life God has waiting for him.
This is why I do what I do.
Yes, God called me to it.
Yes, I do so willingly, but when you get people come to you truly searching God's heart for their life...that is payday.

Thank you Lord!
Michael and Vicki Bynum