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Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. Romans 10:1 KJV
Among the more than a hundred homeless people
that we ministered to every week, there was one very young man who sat apart,
a true loner among so many.
The homeless often have loners, but they also form small groups of two or three among themselves.
This man never seemed to form any connection as months passed. He didn’t want the candy or Bible verse sheets that we handed out and he didn’t want much in the way of conversation as we shared Jesus.
Politely, but in a very quiet voice, he would say,
“I’m an atheist.”
I would tell him about being a Christian and tell him I was praying for him and for his sister who was with him, now and again.
He told my ministry partner and me that he and his sister were going away, but that fact never materialized. The girl came and went, the young man remained and often just shook his head over our repeated offers and replied, “I am an atheist.”
I started replying, “I pray for you, anyway.”
At that, he would almost smile, likely at my annoying perseverance, and tolerate my weekly appearance.
Sometimes, he would chat back briefly, or, more accurately, deal with my chatter with a few words in reply.
During that time, the park where we ministered closed for renovations and took nearly 18 months to reopen. The needy moved down the street to another location where churches also brought food and I continued sharing Jesus in the new area.
I realized we didn’t see the young man or his sister at all after that. I wondered if he had moved on, found a home somewhere in a new locale for his sister and himself, and if they were doing well. I would console myself that praying for these lost souls was all I could do in these cases.
The years passed.
One day, I stepped into an elevator. The doors closed. A man across the small space looked over at me.
There was a vague familiarity about him,
but then again, I had been doing ministry for many years now, was older, my vision wasn’t what it had been, and I had dealt with many people.
When the doors opened, I moved out of the elevator door, but saw him smile faintly at the clutch of Bible verse sheets in my hand and I heard him say, “I’m still an atheist.”
Recognition came rushing at me. I gasped and, as I looked back in at him, I called,
” And I’m STILL praying for you!!”
The door closed.
I never saw him again.
Sometimes, our job is to pray and leave the outcome with God.
Think back.
Who is the person in your life who is still an atheist,
or still lonely,
or still without accepting Jesus as their Savior,
and still so desperately in need of your prayers?
Join me now, as together, we pray for them all.