Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem
Today's story JUST happened over the weekend, so it is really fresh in my mind.
About four months ago, I left a bicycle (a really nice one) at a shop on consignment. I signed all the papers, agreed to wait 90 days (!) for a check, and agreed to notify the owner in the week prior to the 90-day due date to pick up my check which was 50/50 of the proceeds.
I waited the 90 days and then came into the shop, where a substitute clerk told me it hadn't sold yet. But the bike was not in the shop, and the owner of the shop had told me it had sold the very day I brought it in. The woman searched through all the receipts of the past 90 days, and there it was, just as I had said. But, she said, the owner was having "Family Issues" and hadn't posted anything for three months. So NOW I would have to wait another month till October 1st to get my check. "Just don't forget to call before the first." She said.
OK, so I waited another month. Last week I called the owner, and he yelled at me and berated me for going through the receipts of the store and not getting to him sooner, as he had already printed the checks for October. He was abusive, and slammed the receiver down. I tried to call him back but he refused to answer the phone.
So I suited up in my leather jacket, hopped on the Harley and roared off the "Pay him a visit". I didn't know what I was going to say exactly, but I prayed and prayed the whole time I was riding there that The Holy Spirit would guide me.
(Now, riding the Harley is always therapeutic, but praying at the same time is Super-Awesome). By the time I arrived at the shop, the LORD had given me a calm and self-confident spirit, and I walked in with a huge smile on my face.
"Hi!" I said, "I was willing to work this thing out, but I think we were 'cut off' on the phone".
"Oh" he squirmed. "I didn't realize that was YOU on the phone. I'll have your check for you next week." Then he started to blurt out how miserable he was about his "Family Issues".
"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked. "I know all about family issues. I'm the widow of a suicide, for one thing."
THAT seemed to change everything. We agreed that I would swing by after the 1st and pick up my check for the magnificent sum of $75.00. No big loss for him, groceries for me.
I had no wisdom of my own going into that situation. In fact, I was ready to "make a scene" and be a real jerk about it. I knew he was lying about "not knowing it was me", and I knew that he should treat ANYONE that way, but I held my tongue. The Holy Spirit, My Advocate, changed me in the short ride from my house to the shop. And by listening...I won.
Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.
"The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance..” Psalm 33 NASB
God Bless America!
Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.
This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.
Hallelujah and Amen
ML/LTOS
