Gone Fishin' FiveSample

 Gone Fishin'

Johnny the man with two jobs, whose brother is religious

I went to the hospital waiting room today and had zero conversations. I sat there for 45 minutes and there wasn't a soul that was alone. But since I had prayed ahead of time. I was okay with that, knowing God's in control.

Waiting at the stoplight next to the hospital on my way home, I watched a man about 45 years old walking ahead of me with a backpack.

I followed for about 3 or 4 minutes, walking just ten feet behind and he kept looking over his shoulder. I yelled, “I'm not stalking you", with a laugh.” Is this really going to be a conversation?

He laughed and we began to walk side-by-side. In all my trips, I’ve never even seen anyone walking ahead or behind me along this 2-mile stretch.

I learned he has two jobs, working 60 hours a week without a car right now. So he's walking back and forth from the hospital where he is an attendant in the parking lot—a second job.

I relayed my story which you've heard many times about why I walk there and what I do when I'm sitting in the waiting room. He told me “Good for you. My brother is really religious, too.”

So I asked him where he is on his spiritual journey. He told me that he hasn't been to church in 30 or 40 years but he talks to God once in a while.

"Is anybody going to be in Heaven because of you?" Rick Warren

I related to him how my life had changed drastically, at the age of 21, when I decided to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

I told him that I have problems with the word “religious” because if we stand before God and say, “I was religious,” that might not get us into heaven and we both laughed.

I told him one of my favorite verses of the Bible. “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you will be saved.” Romans 10:9,10

He told me "I'm really glad that that makes you feel good". I told him that feeling good doesn't get people to heaven. “What do you think? It comes down to making a personal decision about the only man who ever rose from the dead, Jesus Christ!”

Our two-mile walk was almost up so I pulled out the only copy I had of Steps to Peace with God and said, “I really think that God saw you and me walking side-by-side Johnny."

I said I think God has put us together to give you, Johnny, an opportunity to trust Christ as your Savior and Lord.” I asked him if he would read it and he said he would.

As we were nearing the bus stop, the bus was on my left at the stoplight and if the button wasn't pushed the bus would take off and he would miss his bus since it was stopping on the other side of the light.

So I ran until I could push the button and he ran across the street and caught up with a bus before it left.

I had such a big grin on my face. The last thing I had said to him was, "I'll be seeing you in the hospital parking lot and ask you what you thought about what you read okay?"

I had asked him if he had heard of Billy Graham, who wrote this tract, and he said he hadn't. I just assume everybody has heard of Billy Graham. I need to stop assuming anything.

Then I crossed the street as at the light and a woman was behind me.

She followed me for a couple of a hundred yards and then we had to stop again. We struck up a conversation and it turned out she is a follower of Christ.

She works in a business complex and was walking during her lunch. She lost her husband 3 years ago and is living, temporarily, with her mom who had a stroke.

Wonderful things are happening as she shares her faith with her mother. The Lord allowed me to bring some encouragement to her by praying with Heather. What a joy!

“There you go again, Lord. Astounding. Wait 45 minutes. Nada. Pack it up and head home and the fun (You already knew about) begins. I worship you."

“The resurrection seals the fact that God has moved our judgment day from the future to the past. We who are in Christ are obligated to stop judging one another and instead get about the work of loving one another.” Scott Sauls

Please say a prayer that Johnny will read the tract and trust Christ as his Lord and Savior.