God sighting at Murphy's Express

Last night on my way back to Greensboro I stopped for gas in Wilksboro. As I was filling up my tank a high school aged girl came up to me and asked if I had any money to spare for gas. She said she was having a really bad day and they (her and her dad(?)) didn't have any money for gas. They were driving a beat up old brown plymouth which apparently had a 13 gallon gas tank... I told her I would be happy to put some gas in her car and to consider it a Christmas present. As I pumped her gas I asked her if she was in school anywhere and other generic questions. I noticed she had a black eye that she tried to cover up with make up and I got the feeling that she wasn't in the best situation. The man driving didn't even get out of the car or thank me or even wave when they drove off. The girl asked if I would buy her some food but when I said yes she said never mind and got in the car.

As I drove home over the next next hour and a half I couldn't help but think of this girl. Had I done enough? The entire time I was pumping gas I had the feeling I needed to be doing something more, I just couldn't think of what to do. Looking back, I didn't even ask her name, I wanted to ask if I could pray for her which I normally do, but I didn't. I was really convicted and still am about how much I have, how blessed I am, and how much I take it for granted. Who am I? How can I have so much and look over it so often? Home girl shouldn't have to ask for hand outs, she should be enjoying life being a high schooler, worrying about boys and whatever else high school girls worry about.

If I had another chance at talking to her I would first ask if she needed anything else, if I could help her with anything. But then I would have told her how beautiful she is, and how loved she is. I would tell her how she is a princess and her father in heaven looks down on her and delights himself in her. I would tell her that she had been bought at a price, that God had paid her ransom with the blood of his own son. And that she was totally worth it in Gods eyes. I would tell her to demand respect and hold her head up high. Then I would have asked if I could pray for her and her family, and I would pray for them on the spot.

Is it enough to do working without love? I'm not saying I had a bad attitude or wrong motives for pumping their gas. I'm glad I had the opportunity to be able to bless them in that way and I believe that moment was ordained and I trust that the Lord is going to work through it, I know he is teaching me things about myself through it. BUT we need to be careful when doing works that we aren't doing them simply because its what we feel we should be doing. We need, I need, to be sensitive to the Spirit. Pumping that families gas was just an opening for me to have expressed Gods love. Don't get comfortable doing one thing, that one thing may be great, but maybe there is something else that could be done. I don't know if I'm making sense to anyone but myself... But, Don't just do things because you think its the right thing to do, pray, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit leading, have a heart for love, thank God for giving you the chance to impact his kingdom.

I've been reading Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray. The last chapter I read was talking about love and the Holy Spirit. It talks about the love that Jesus displayed for everyone because of the Holy Spirit... The same spirit that dwells within us. Key word being SAME. If we have the same Spirit dwelling within us as Jesus did and its a spirit of love. Then shouldn't we have the same love for people that Jesus did? We need to open our hearts to the moving of the Holy Spirit within us and learn to love like Jesus. Slow down, be filled, go out of your way to love someone, and when you are be sensitive to the Spirit within you and ask how you can love them better. Buy someone groceries, fill up their car with gas, buy them a meal, sit and talk with someone, find any excuse to show Gods love for someone! It will bless your socks off.

Looking forward to slowing down and being filled by the Lord over this break. Spending time by myself is going to be good for me. I can't wait to see what big things the Lord has in store for me. He is in control and his timing is perfect. He knows what he's doing.