And Isaiah boldly says,

“I was found by those who did not seek me;
    I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” Isaiah 65:1 and Romans 10:20

1. What do we learn about God?
2. What do we learn about people?
3. What does God want me to do?
4. Who can I share this with?

Just wanted to share another story from Ruth in Hyderabad about how God is changing things in her neighborhood! God’s heart is to seek and save the lost! Let’s be inspired to go and shine His light this week!

Gangamma and her husband Narayanaswamy are street cleaners, employed by the government. Every day they walk through our neighbourhood, and there’s conflict – with irate people pulling them up about not doing their job well or sometimes not at all. Gangamma is generally to be seen with a discontented expression on her face, stopping anybody passing by, to complain about her lot in life.

A couple of weeks ago I was on my morning walk, stopping to pray with Mariamma and her family, when I saw that Gangamma was watching me. She was sitting on the kerb, wrapped up, and looking unhappy. I decided to go and ask her how she was doing. She jumped up immediately when I approached, and began to tell me how unwell she was feeling – cold, cough, fever, etc.

I asked if I could pray for her, like she had watched me do with Mariamma. She called her husband Narayanaswamy, and told him what I had said. He smiled sheepishly and told me that they were strong believers in a particular Hindu deity. I said it didn’t matter, and that if they would give me permission, I would pray for Gangamma anyway. They requested me not to, and I went on my way, saying a silent prayer for her. On my way back home, they beckoned to me again, and asked me to pray for Gangamma. I did, and I especially prayed for peace and joy to flood her soul. I also prayed for her to feel better.

A couple of days later, we saw Gangamma sweeping the road. This was a surprise, as she generally just sat on the kerb, not doing her job, and earning her government salary regardless. I hadn’t had a chance to talk with her for a few days, as I hadn’t passed her on my walk, so I watched her from our doorway, not disturbing her as she went about her job.

Today she and her husband stopped me on my walk. She was beaming from ear to ear saying that after I prayed for her, she felt well and happy. She kept saying, “I feel so happy” in Telugu. I chatted and then walked on, but God sent me back to tell her this, from Luke 16:10 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.” I told her to be thankful that she had a job, and to do it as well as she could because God had a plan for her life. She never stopped smiling and kept saying she was happy!

Oh what surprises God has for us as we do small things with great love for Him in our everyday lives! Praying for you all today in Chicago!

Let’s go and be His hands and feet today!

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