Waiting in the seating area at the airport gate to board our flight home, I became aware of a lady sitting by herself in the adjacent seating block. She was on a mobile phone call and, though I could only make out small snatches of her conversation, it was clear that she was becoming increasingly upset, openly crying and wiping away her tears as she spoke. “I just want some peace” she sobbed to her caller. My heart went out to this dear lady of older years, alone and distressed as she was. I felt compelled to go over and offer her whatever comfort I could.
When it seemed like her call was drawing to a close, I simply moved across to the empty seat beside her and put my arms around her and held her. She started crying again and I said that, though I didn’t know what she was going through, God wanted her to know that she is not alone and He was there to put His arms around her. It was then that she told me a little of her story. Her name is “Hannah”.
Hannah revealed that she had just left her very elderly, frail Mum in Portugal to go back to her own home and family in South Africa. (I thought I had detected that lovely accent as she spoke!) It was tearing her to pieces to have to leave her Mum, not knowing when or even if she would ever see her again. But her children and grandchildren were at home waiting for her – they were the ones who had called her just before. Hannah was all the more conflicted over this situation as, the last time she had been over to visit her Mum in Portugal, her own husband of over forty years, Tony, had died suddenly while she was away. Tony was the love of her life and a devoted lover of Jesus. She had been heartbroken.
I held Hannah again, praying over her and releasing the healing comfort and Peace of Jesus into every aspect of her body, mind and emotions, as well as praying for her Mum to be divinely provided for in every way. I can’t remember the other things I prayed, everything was very “of the moment” and I really needed to rely on what Holy Spirit gave me to say. The hug itself felt like the most healing part of the encounter. Afterwards, Hannah said that it had felt to her as if Tony himself had been holding her and telling her, as he always used to do, that “everything would be okay, Jesus has it covered and He’d make it all okay”.
“I can’t thank you enough for being God’s comfort to me today.” Hannah said. “He knew how terrible I was feeling and sent you to bring me this special encouragement”. Her face now looked bright and she was smiling! Jesus had shown Hannah how present and aware of her He really is, and had lifted the weight of the world from this dear lady’s weary shoulders. Time to move back to my seat and get ready to board the plane!
I lost sight of Hannah until some time later when she was just in front of me, mounting the steps to the aircraft. Her face brightened again as she told me with a clear voice “Just after you left and I was lining up, a man who had overheard you and me talking and praying together came up to me and said aggressively “Less of this talking about Jesus!” Hannah and I immediately declared out loud in unison “NEVER!” and Hannah slipped into her seat saying, “Oh, I feel so excited now!”
Jesus had put a new strength and boldness of purpose into Hannah as she realised that she has an important Kingdom voice to release on the earth and that her very presence is a bright light in the darkness! What a transformation in this precious downcast, distressed soul of only moments ago. Praise you Jesus that you are the “God who really sees” – and for the wonderful ripple effect of your Heavenly hug for Hannah today.