Sitting on a bench in the tranquil grounds of our lodging in mid-Jordan, I was enjoying the afternoon sun’s warmth on my face and catching up on some reading.
An older local gentleman passed by, wishing me a good afternoon. “How is your day going?” I asked him. “Oh, it’s going okay, thank you. I’m just going to open up the shop – come by soon and have some tea (a typical Jordanian invitation, I came to discover!)
This man managed the small shop on site, stocking various essentials from food and toiletries to local spices and souvenirs. “Yes, I’ll come sometime soon”, I promised him.
In due course, I popped into the shop and the manager – Hamid – wasted no time in producing coffee, cold fruit juices and sweetcakes! Our conversation covered many topics but quickly came onto issues of faith, especially when I shared a brief prophetic word with Hamid about his past relationship with his father I also explained to him that I am a minister of Jesus Christ.
Before long, Hamid was sharing some deeply personal and difficult things that had happened in his working life, intensified by the impact of Covid on business and his mental health. All this had led to some significant physical health issues still troubling him today. The toll of all these things on his marriage and family had also been heavy. It was a strange honour to be Hamid’s confidante. Now it was time to pray!
Hamid – a Muslim - allowed me to pray in the name of Jesus over his physical and mental issues. I prayed, listening to the Holy Spirit as I addressed the different concerns Hamid had outlined. I felt led to pray in specific ways for his wife, too. Afterwards Hamid was quite tearful and asked me “How are you hearing this? How do you know what to pray like this?” Here was a special opportunity to explain about Jesus being alive and living in Me by His Holy Spirit, teaching me what I need in any given moment so that others can be blessed and healed.
I marvel at the way the Holy Spirit had kept the shop empty for all that time, then as soon as our prayer time was complete, a customer came through the open shop frontage and it was time for me to go. Not before Hamid insisted that I take with me a little gift from his shop as a sign of his deep gratitude for helping him.. It was a little silvery horse (see the photo above) that I now keep on my desk at home, to remind me to pray for Hamid and his family. Please join me in praying for them too!