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Listen while you read: "No Never Alone"1 (Lyrics) |
Matthew 18:20 – For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them. (NLT)
The day dawned sunny and bright. Though it was still chilly, it was a perfect Saturday morning to walk the three-quarters of a mile to my favourite coffee shop. Though seating is still limited because of COVID-19 restrictions, morning is the best time to find a quiet table toward the back of the coffee shop. I love to sit quietly and read a book while enjoying my hot beverage. That day, I had also included my Bible Study Fellowship lesson in my tote bag. After ordering my latte and scone, I headed toward my quiet table.
As I walked past a booth, I noticed a young man intently jotting things down in a notebook with an open — what? A Bible? — on the table beside him. A standard Bible is quite identifiable with its pages formatted in two columns with chapters and verses. Better yet is a Bible generously marked up with neat underlining and scribbled notes in the margins. So, I was pretty sure that this young man was studying his Bible.
Pausing as I walked by, I asked, "Excuse me, but are you doing a Bible study?" "Yes," he replied. "This is my Bible Study Fellowship lesson. It's great!" Smiling as I pulled the matching lesson out of my bag, I said, "Ah, yes! Genesis 36 this week, right?" How serendipitous to cross paths with someone else who is involved in the same well-known international Bible study that I am!
As we briefly talked, I felt as though we were two tiny lights shining for Christ in a dark world. The glow began to grow as we shared our common love for Him. Even if no one else around us knew anything about this bonding of hearts in Christian love, it was as though we had formed a tiny church of two in the middle of the coffee shop.
Though I am still "attending" church online, what an encouragement it was to find a fellow believer in my everyday world. As I watched Wayne walk out of the coffee shop a short time later, I knew that God had orchestrated our schedules and our itinerary for the day so that we two strangers could briefly meet and glorify Him together.
Let's be mindful and alert as we travel through life, noticing others around us. Sometimes, we can say a word for Jesus to an unbeliever that will bring honour to Him. Other times, we can encourage another fellow believer whom God places in our path. Let's keep our minds, hearts, and eyes open so that we can see others as God sees them.
Prayer: Dear loving heavenly Father, thank You that believers, though strangers to one another, can have an instant bond of fellowship. May we always be ready to encourage one another in the midst of our dark world. Amen.
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Friday, July 26, 2024 – In Ethiopia — Pray for another vision trip to Addis, Ethiopia, to see various projects: water, small agriculture, and girls' education. Pray these visits will be a time of encouragement and support to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Accomodation: "Update July 26,2024: I have not read of an update but keep praying for this senior lady.***June 18,..." 
Amen, Gail.
How wonderful! Our God is so good. He knew you both could use the encouragement.
Thank you for your devotional today, that was awesome running across another believer like that. God Bless you today and everyday.
What an encouragement that must have been to you Gail. Thanks for sharing this story and its spiritual truth.
Blessings.
Thanks, Gail, for your devotion story.
It made my heart leap for joy that you two had found each other.
Blessings,
(Quebec)
Dear Gail,
I love the Serendipities and God’s Providence happenings. How comforting to know that He is in our midst. He does so many things that let us know He is with us.
Dear Gail,
Thank you for sharing your devotion. Yes, with Christ among us, we have an instant connection. I love to hear of these connections and make them. I pray God’s continuous blessing to your writing.
Good Morning Gail
Thank you for this exciting devotional. I get excited when God does things like this out of nowhere… confirmation we are on the right track!
God is so good and faithful.
God bless.
Amen! Gail.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful piece.
Thank God for Our IT specialist -The Holy spirit, who will always network us with those He wants us to meet at the exact time we need to meet them.
Blessings.
Hello Gail,
Thank you for today’s devotional. Yes, it can be quite surprising to us when the Lord puts certain people in our lives at unexpected times. It is very uplifting when we can share the Lord’s word with others. Blessings for the writings you prepare and submit to the morning devotionals.
Good morning Gail,
Yesterday’s devotional was on God’s timing and today you shared with us an excellent example of it in yours and Wayne’s life. I also love your title and the example of “two tiny lights”. Thank you for reminding and encouraging us in the many ways that we can honour Our Father. Enjoy your coffee and the world around you. Blessings.
Thank you so much, Gail, for your story. What a great feeling it is when the Lord plans an opportunity for us in a variety of ways. I’m such a people person that it’s so easy for me to get involved with someone, often in a store.
Sometimes we get into a good conversation that will have good results. If I don’t get a good response I go on my way. And we always have to remember that it’s not always what we say but what they observe in our actions. You were so blessed to find a Christian with the open Bible and be a little 2-member church. God bless you in many special and surprising ways.
(Ca.)
Good morning Gail
Thank you for your devotional, where two or three are gathered indeed. As a guest preacher at a small country church, I preached to 7 people several times. A Minister friend of mine asked me if this did not bother me, so few people. He preached in a church with hundreds in attendance. I told him it did not, where two or three…
Blessings.