Löysin jostain tämän stoorin, joka kertoo siitä, kuinka Jumala tietää, missä olen. Luin sen pitkästä aikaa, ja se puhutteli mua taas, ja ajattelin jakaa sen tänne. (Sorry, jostain syystä teksti tuli pienellä fontilla..)
Does
God Know Where You Are – Right Now?
By
Ken Gaub
Do
you believe that God not only loves you, but knows where you are and
what you're doing every minute of the day? I certainly do after an
amazing experience I had several years ago. At
the time I was driving on 1-75 near Dayton, Ohio, with my wife and
children. We turned off the highway for a rest and refreshment stop.
My wife Barbara and children went into the restaurant. I suddenly
felt the need to stretch my legs, so waved them off ahead saying I'd
join them later.
I
bought a soft drink, and as I walked toward a Dairy Queen, feelings
of self pity enshrouded my mind. I loved the Lord and my ministry,
but I felt drained, burdened. My cup was empty. Suddenly
the impatient ringing of a telephone nearby jarred me out of my
doldrums. It was coming from a phone booth at a service station on
the corner. Wasn't anyone going to answer the phone? Noise from the
traffic flowing through the busy intersection must have drowned out
the sound because the service station attendant continued looking
after his customers, oblivious to the incessant ringing. "Why
doesn't somebody answer that phone?" I muttered.
I
began reasoning. It may be important. What if it's an emergency?
Curiosity overcame my indifference. I stepped inside the booth and
picked up the phone. "Hello," I said casually and took a
big sip of my drink. The operator said: "Long distance call for
Ken Gaub." My
eyes widened, and I almost choked on a chunk of ice. Swallowing hard,
I said, "You're crazy!" Then realizing I shouldn't speak to
an operator like that, I added, "This can't be! I was walking
down the road, not bothering anyone, and the phone was ringing..."
"Is Ken Gaub there?" the operator interrupted. "I have
a long distance call for him."
It
took a moment to gain control of my babbling, but I finally replied,
"Yes, he is here." Searching for a possible explanation, I
wondered if I could possibly be on Candid Camera! Still shaken,
perplexed, I asked, "How in the world did you reach me here? I
was walking down the road, the pay phone started ringing, and I just
answered it on chance. You can't mean me." "Well," the
operator asked, "is Mr. Gaub there or isn't he?" "Yes,
I am Ken Gaub," I said, finally convinced by the tone of her
voice that the call was real. Then I heard another voice say, "Yes,
that's him, operator. That's Ken Gaub."
I
listened dumbfounded to a strange voice identify herself. "I'm
Millie from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. You don't know me, Mr. Gaub,
but I'm desperate. Please help me." "What can I do for
you?" She began weeping. Finally
she regained control and continued. "I was about to commit
suicide, had just finished writing a note, when I began to pray and
tell God I really didn't want to do this. Then I suddenly remembered
seeing you on television and thought if I could just talk to you, you
could help me. I knew that was impossible because I didn't know how
to reach you, I didn't know anyone who could help me find you. Then
some numbers came to my mind, and I scribbled them down."
At
this point she began weeping again, and I prayed silently for wisdom
to help her. She continued, "I looked at the numbers and
thought, couldn't it be wonderful if I had a miracle from God, and He
has given me Ken's phone number? I decided to try calling it. I can't
believe I'm talking to you. Are you in your office in California?"
I
replied, "Lady, I don't have an office in California. My office
is in Yakima, Washington."
A
little surprised, she asked, "Oh really, then where are you?"
"Don't you know?" I responded. "You made the call." She
explained," But I don't even know what area I'm calling. I just
dialed the number that I had on this paper."
"Ma'am,
you won't believe this, but I'm in a phone booth in Dayton, Ohio!"
"Really?" she exclaimed. "Well, what are you doing
there?" I kidded her gently, "Well, I'm answering the
phone. It was ringing as I walked by, so I answered it."
Knowing
this encounter could only have been arranged by God, I began to
counsel the woman. As she told me of her despair and frustration, the
presence of the Holy Spirit flooded the phone booth giving me words
of wisdom beyond my ability. In a matter of moments, she prayed the
sinner's prayer and met the One who would lead her out of her
situation into a new life.
I
walked away form that telephone booth with an electrifying sense of
our heavenly Father's concern for each of His children. What were the
astronomical odds of this happening. With all the millions of phones
and innumerable combinations of numbers, only an all knowing God
could have caused that woman to call THAT number, in THAT phone
booth, at THAT moment in time. Forgetting my drink and nearly
bursting with exhilaration, I headed back to my family, wondering if
they would believe my story. Maybe I better not tell this I thought,
but I couldn't contain it. "Barb, you won't believe this! God
knows where I am!"
God
also knows where YOU are.
