Birmingham August 2017 “Let me tell you, I know there's a God”
01/08/17 10:46
Whilst I am in the UK I have to refuel my car about once a fortnight. I always go to the same petrol station where the price is one of the lowest in the neighbourhood and I can collect loyalty points towards additional discount vouchers. This station has sixteen pumps, arranged in four rows and I head for pumps one and two, if there are available, because I can pay by credit card there whilst the other pumps require you to queue and pay inside the shop. Today both were available so I headed for number one. As I lifted the nozzle out of its holder I glanced across to the other pumps. It was a busy day here, almost all of them were in use and I amused myself by thinking that the fuel would come out slower because all the pumps were working. (I don't expect it works like that). I was filling the car when out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of a man walking towards me from the pump behind my car. He had a petrol can in his hand, which was a little unusual, and when he came up to me he said “I know there's a God”. I had almost finished filling my car by that point but I stopped, looked at him and said “Let me tell you, I know there's a God but what is your story?”
Now when deciding what to write in this blog I try to avoid using second hand stories. They may be true but I if I wasn't there or didn't experience it myself I am reluctant to share it here. However this is one where the ending is relevant so I will first recount what he said to me.
“My wife was suffering from throat cancer”, gesturing back to the car behind mine where I could see a lady sitting in the passenger seat with a scarf wrapped round her neck. “She had treatment for it but a year later it returned and after more tests and treatment the Surgeon told us that all he could do for her was palliative care. I asked him what he meant and he said there was nothing more that could be done and then he suggested I prayed for her recovery. I had not prayed for many a year and had forgotten how to do that or what to say. Things were getting quite bad for my wife and one evening, maybe a couple of weeks ago, I decided to try prayer. I put my hand on her throat and said 'Jesus, please take this cancer from her'. I noticed my hand grow warm and pulled it back. We went to see the Surgeon last week for a check up to see how she was doing and the tests revealed that all trace of the cancer had gone! There was no medical explanation for this. Have I got the power to heal others?”
I stood there and looked around the petrol station. This man could have gone to any of the other pumps where there were people but instead he had walked straight up to mine. I cleared my throat and said “No you don't have the power but you should continue to pray for others to be healed, like your wife has been. It is Jesus who has the power and you can call on his name for others to be healed”. His face looked both relieved and happy at the same time. He thanked me and turned to go back to his car when I called him back and said “Let me pay for your fuel”.
As I drove home I pondered on what he had told me. Now had he spoken to anyone else I expect their answer would have been something like “Yeah, go for it” whilst at the same time probably doubting his story. I would have been the only person there who would say to him, “I believe you, now pray for others in Jesus name”.
Now when deciding what to write in this blog I try to avoid using second hand stories. They may be true but I if I wasn't there or didn't experience it myself I am reluctant to share it here. However this is one where the ending is relevant so I will first recount what he said to me.
“My wife was suffering from throat cancer”, gesturing back to the car behind mine where I could see a lady sitting in the passenger seat with a scarf wrapped round her neck. “She had treatment for it but a year later it returned and after more tests and treatment the Surgeon told us that all he could do for her was palliative care. I asked him what he meant and he said there was nothing more that could be done and then he suggested I prayed for her recovery. I had not prayed for many a year and had forgotten how to do that or what to say. Things were getting quite bad for my wife and one evening, maybe a couple of weeks ago, I decided to try prayer. I put my hand on her throat and said 'Jesus, please take this cancer from her'. I noticed my hand grow warm and pulled it back. We went to see the Surgeon last week for a check up to see how she was doing and the tests revealed that all trace of the cancer had gone! There was no medical explanation for this. Have I got the power to heal others?”
I stood there and looked around the petrol station. This man could have gone to any of the other pumps where there were people but instead he had walked straight up to mine. I cleared my throat and said “No you don't have the power but you should continue to pray for others to be healed, like your wife has been. It is Jesus who has the power and you can call on his name for others to be healed”. His face looked both relieved and happy at the same time. He thanked me and turned to go back to his car when I called him back and said “Let me pay for your fuel”.
As I drove home I pondered on what he had told me. Now had he spoken to anyone else I expect their answer would have been something like “Yeah, go for it” whilst at the same time probably doubting his story. I would have been the only person there who would say to him, “I believe you, now pray for others in Jesus name”.