Sometimes, when the weather is fine and people are not in a hurry, I like to find a bench to sit somewhere in a town square and see who comes to join me there.
I might feel drawn to sit near someone already seated who seems “highlighted” to me, or else just to wait and pray that Holy Spirit draws a person of His choice to come along and sit near me. Either way, I am on the lookout for someone Jesus wants to encounter that day! The following two “bench encounters” happened last week.
I had come into the city centre on a busy, sunny lunchtime. Near the area where the most benches are is a statue with a large, flat stone rim around it. On that rim was sitting a chap in his early fifties, someone I sensed Jesus wanted me to connect with for His special purposes.
Introducing myself, I discovered the man’s name is “Billy”, a former soldier from the parachute regiment. Billy was happy to chat and told me a little about the extremely harrowing things he had experienced over many different tours of duty. This had not only caused him physical injuries requiring several surgeries but, even more disabling, had left him with deep mental scarring that cripples him to this day. He is waiting for a place in a military specialist therapy unit. Until then, keeping physically fit through challenging outdoor pursuits keeps him going, just about.
I explained about being a street healing pastor who prays for people in pain, and Billy was quick to say that he believes in a “higher power” because too many coincidences have happened in his life for there not to be “something out there”. He’s not keen on any kind of religion, though. He knows he shouldn’t still be alive after some of the situations he had gone through, including getting shot and needing heart surgery in the back of an army ambulance! So he does believe in something more than we can understand.
The physical issue troubling Billy today was his shoulder, with pain and stiffness stopping him sleeping properly at night and making full range of movement difficult. When I offered to pray for his shoulder, he was happy to say yes. I really sensed that I should not use many words during this prayer but gently minister the Father’s love to Billy, assuring him of God’s intimate awareness of all Billy has gone through down the years, day and night. I then simply allowed the Presence of Jesus to come and settle over Billy’s body, mind and heart.
When I asked Billy what was going on for him, he said “I actually feel really emotional.” (I could see Billy was close to tears). He went on to say that he also felt strangely relaxed and peaceful, he couldn’t really explain it. Billy mentioned that he had been prayed for by different people in the past but had always felt like they had just been going through the motions. “I’ve never experienced anything this real before” he said. This really has touched me.”
I explained it was the presence of Jesus that he had been experiencing, the very love of God Himself, touching and healing him. I then asked him to check out his shoulder. It was loose and pain free! Praise you Jesus! Body, mind, soul and spirit had all received a touch from Jesus!
Billy wasn’t ready to receive Jesus as his one true God and Saviour yet, but he gladly took a copy of the Father’s Love Letter and, saying he didn’t know how to thank me, asked if it would be okay to give me a hug! Watching Jesus hug Billy with his healing love and Grace was the best hug of all in the town square that day, but Billy’s hug for me with a pain free shoulder came a close second!
The next bench encounter was very different and involved Google Translate – once again! I’ll keep you posted!
In the meantime….why not find a bench and ask Holy Spirit what He wants to do and who He wants to touch while you are sitting there!? Go on - have a go!