This is third in a continuation of previous blogs. I don't know how many more there is to come.
This idea of asking Jesus for what He wanted to do in those with Mid Demonic Syndrome (MDS) began to permeate into other areas of my walk. Instead of telling people what I thought they should do, we asked Jesus. And He told 'em.
My confidence shifted, it wasn't about me, but Him. Faith began. People started thinking I was bright and very spiritual, but really I was submissive and a Johnny One-Note. What is Jesus telling us to do. Then we should do it. That is the smartest thing I could think of.
I was a teacher of Graphic Arts and Design at a vocational high school magnet in Fresno and was asked to come up to Calvin Crest to be a speaker for a high school camp in the middle of summer. I would ask Jesus each day what He wanted to speak about that night. Sometimes it was an almost audible message, and other something in my scripture reading would touch my heart and I knew that was the way to go. One day, I just heard wait. All day I waited, and on my way up I saw a picture instead of a verbal message. It was an embellished story of Stephen, the martyr.
I was praying for some of the staff and went around the room and just prayed for what I heard to pray for. Sometimes it was right on sometimes it was the breakfast sausage talking. But I was obedient. I prayed for a young woman who had a cut on her tummy and it wasn't healing so we asked Jesus what we should do and he told me to have her put her hand on her wound and I was to touch her elbow and pray for healing. Nothing happened right then and she left. But in 10 minutes some of us are still hanging out in the room when the door bursts open and the young woman comes running in the room and lifts up her shirt and says look it is all healed. We asked her to put down her shirt, her healing was causing me to stumble.
The team coordinator asked if I would come back and just pray for the staff. We came back a few weeks later and then the following summer. It was that summer that I was asked to apply for the program director's job. I didn't think I stood a chance and neither did Rick and the others on the committee. But they kept asking Jesus what they should do and my name kept getting back on the list. I ended up getting the job. I was told I had to join the local presbyterian church. I freaked out. I didn't think I could do that. Become a Presbyterian?!?!?!!!?!
I went to tell Christel the news, she was packing to go on a vacation. She said she knew that I was suppose to do this back in 1976. "Let's pray about it while we are apart and when we get back let's compare what Jesus tells us." She is a wise woman, I am a bumbling fool. While apart we both heard, "Didn't I provide you with jobs in Fresno, friends in Fresno, a church in Fresno, a position as an elder in Fresno... don't you think that I will provide for you in Oakhurst?" Along with that was a strange peace. ...I could do that.
I did that...
Story ended, now I can begin to explain.
1 comment:
This is well written, Tony. You are capturing what I remember of you that first summer you came on staff as staff activities director, and then as program director. You were infectious and shortly had life-long Presbyterians learning about and acting on a spiritually led life.
I look forward to hearing more about your thoughts on this story and how you would explain it, or what has changed since then.
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