12-16-24-DAILY READING-ENG.

EXPERIENCING THE SPIRIT

                         DRAWN INTO GOD'S ACTIVITY

 I was twenty-one years old, driving east across the Mojave Desert in 115-degree weather—in a car with black vinyl interior, no air conditioning, and an engine that was overheating. I was in trouble. In the distance I saw a dark cloud coming my way. My deliverance! The rain was sure to cool things down, giving much-needed relief. But to my surprise, it wasn't a rainstorm I ran into, but a sandstorm. Overcome with dust, feeling faint from the scorching temperature, and with a stressed-out car, I searched for a place to stop for help. I was in the middle of nowhere, but eventually I came to a rundown gas station. The only shade available was the building's shadow, so I pulled around back and parked the car. I got out, opened the hood, and began tinkering with the engine. Suddenly I realized I was being watched.

A drifter was standing about thirty feet away, just staring. His hair was unkempt and his face unshaven, and a scar went from his forehead, across his eyelid, and down below his chin. I was nervous. No, I was downright scared! As the man began to walk straight toward me, many things went through my head. I'm going to die; nobody will ever find my body; I want my mommy! Knowing I couldn't run and nobody was there to help, I decided the next best thing was to flash a big smile and hold out my hand to greet a new friend. As we began to talk, he made a fascinating statement: “As I watched you work on your car, you radiated friendliness, and I had to come and meet you.” Immediately I sensed in my spirit what was going on. The Lord was at work, and I needed to respond.

As I spoke with the man, I quickly identified what he'd seen in me—the Spirit of God dwelling in my life. As I expected, he was ripe for the picking and responded positively toward Christ. What had happened? The Father wanted to speak to a desperate man, and He happened to have one of His children driving by. Looking back, I know why my car was overheating, why the storm caused me to stop, and why I ended up behind an old gas station in the backside of the desert. God was at work around me…and the Holy Spirit within me was responding to the orders given by the Father.