One day I was waiting on the roadside to get a coach from Sydney back home to Queensland.
But the bus didn’t come.
So I decided to get a flight home instead.
On the way to the airport, I went into a cafe in the city.
I felt like having some lasagne. But at the house where I'd
been staying everyone was fasting, so I’d joined them, and so I hadn’t eaten
for a few days. I thought lasagne might be a bit heavy on an empty stomach – so
I didn’t mention lasagne at all, and just ordered a cup of light soup instead.
While I was sitting at the table sipping my hot soup, I thought
to myself (and silently said to the Lord): “I’d prefer to be having lasagne”.
Straightaway the lady came around from behind the counter and
put a container that was in a white paper bag on the table in front of me. She
muttered something in her European-sounding language, then went back behind the
counter.
I took the container out of the bag – it was lasagne! Nice,
hot lasagne. For free!
After enjoying eating about half of it I thought I better
not eat too much more of it seeing I’d had such an empty stomach. So I decided
to find a homeless person outside to give the rest of it to.
As soon as I stepped onto the footpath outside the cafe,
there was a homeless-looking person right there scrummaging through a rubbish
bin.
I went up to him, and I’d already stretched out my hand to
give him the lasagne, when suddenly the words come to me:
"Stop! Not him. Walk down the street - you'll find a
pedestrian-crossing. Across the road is a building. Behind the building is a
park. In the park is a bench. And on the bench you'll see an aboriginal
man - give it to him."
So I turned and walked down the road – and in just a minute
or less, I came to a pedestrian-crossing.
While I was waiting for the green 'walk' signal to cross the
road, I thought to myself, “This is going to be a good test of whether or not I'm
really hearing from God” - because I wasn't familiar-enough with the Sydney CBD
to have known such details.
It was raining lightly as I crossed the crossing. I looked
up at the building towering in front of me directly across the road.
I walked around the corner - and sure enough there was a park
– a big park - behind the building.
I entered the park – and immediately inside the park
entrance was a park bench.
On the bench was a gentleman – and he indeed looked
indigenous.
As it was still early morning, he was lying down on the
bench sleeping.
I went up to him and putting my hand on his shoulder woke
him.
He sat up promptly, looking startled.
"Excuse me, brother,” I said, reassuringly, “I'm
wondering whether you'd like some steaming-hot lasagne - for free."
"Oh yes thanks!" he answered, eagerly.
While he sat enjoying eating, I shared JESUS with him.
(I’d figured - he’s not going to tell me not to, seeing I’ve
given him a meal.)
And when he finished eating, I asked him if he would like to
receive the LORD.
So, there in the park, on the bench, we prayed together –
the precious man received the Lord Jesus Christ into his life.
He looked so glad!
We looked at each other’s faces, smiling.
As we saw into each other’s eyes, it felt like we'd both gained
a new brother!
And we went on our ways, rejoicing.
Jesus said:
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that
which was lost” (Luke 19:10)
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man
hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him,
and he with me" - (Rev. 3:20)
“A sower went out to sow his seed…”
(Luke 8:5); “The sower soweth the word (Mark 4:14)
“And they went forth, and preached every where,
the Lord working with them, and confirming the
word with signs following…” (Mark 16:20)
“…and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the
world…” (Matthew 28:20)
