God, Please Heal Him

Warsaw, Poland
This morning Gosia picked us up. We returned to Alexandria’s flat to pick up our postcards that were left there yesterday, then went to the grocery to buy lunch. As we were loading the groceries in the car, a homeless man walked up to Gosia. I knew he was asking for money or food. His face was covered with scabs and my heart went out to him. Gosia handed over several items of food to him. I asked her to ask him if we could pray for him.

We gathered around him. The smell of alcohol was very strong and he leaned against my hand as I laid it on his shoulder. The boys prayed one at a time and the man’s emotions overtook him. When it was my turn to pray, I felt called to pray for him to be re-united with his family. I stood against his addictions and asked for God to cleanse him and make him whole. He was very grateful and spoke to Gosia in Polish.
As we walked away, my heart was very heavy. It is one of my main struggles right now with the Lord. I pray often for the answer to this. I want to see this man’s life changed. I want more than his emotions to be overwhelmed. I was to see the scabs disappear from his face. I was to see his teeth reappear in his mouth. I want the spirit of addiction to flee. I want his whole life to change. I want him to know God in a deep and intimate way. I want him freed from his captivity. I want him to dance joyfully down the street, praising God for the miracle He has performed in him.
I know God can do all this. Even though my heart feels much love towards this man, I know that God loves this man more than I do. I also know that God wants this man freed from his captivity too. So why is he not freed and healed?
I desperately wish I had the answer. I know that God is God. He is God of all. It is His ultimate decision of who He heals miraculously. I also know that God has set in place boundaries, laws and consequences. We all reap the consequences when we do not follow the laws God has laid out. He has given us free will to make those decisions. He also often uses our consequences to help us learn. He has given us the Bible to make sure we know what the boundaries and consequences are. The more I read the Bible, the clearer His direction is.
The law of gravity has a consequence of a hard landing when you go against it and jump off a wall. “Do not be drunk on wine, but be filled with the Spirit” ………. has consequences too. These consequences are not as immediate as the jump. But the consequences are there and real….as this man proves.
What will it take to change this man’s life? I don’t know, God does. I pray. I do my best to be obedient.
Maybe God puts this man on my heart to pray for him…maybe He will use my prayers to eventually heal him. Maybe we drove away and suddenly his scabs disappeared and he danced down the street telling everyone he met how God had healed him.

It is one of the many things I look forward to about heaven. To learn the rest of the story of those I meet and witness to or pray over. What an exciting eternity…to hear their stories of how God changed their lives and to share how God has changed mine through the acts and prayers of others….like you.
Thank you for your prayers!!

Fellowship at #7 Slotsky Flat Warsaw, Poland

Kasia, her nephew Tomek, sister Alexandria (due to give birth in two weeks ) and brother-in-law. Joseph. Please pray for Alexandria’s health and the health of their new baby. The boys and Tomek played legos…no language barrier with legos.

Statue in Old Town Warsaw

The statue in the center square of the old town area in Warsaw

May 8th, 2008

Kids with Bibles, Inspiring Gosia in Warsaw...

I had shared with Gosia how we had purchased Bibles in Czech Republic and had stood on the street to give them out. The next day Gosia shows up with a box of Bibles! She asked someone where we could get Bibles and her friend produced the box.
Don’t you love how God provides?!

We went to a wonderful park and the boys could not get over what great play ground equipment they had. After a couple hours of play, we struck up a conversation with some teenagers. As Gosia translated, we shared the Gospel. All but one of the kids took a Bible and several took Polish copies of The Passion (many thanks to Calvary United Methodist Church for your generous support for this!).

I am always amazed how kids really listen to the Gospel. Even though my words were translated, they all listened attentively, answered our questions and responded to our message. When you speak the Truth, it has a way of penetrating hearts. Thanks be to God!

Please pray for these young people that God will use them in a mighty way to share the Gospel in Poland.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me". John 14:6