As I left Stan and walked out of the cafe, I experienced a joy of anticipation. I couldn’t exactly put my finger on it, but I had the sense that something significant was about to happen in my life. I purposefully avoided going by the train station.
On my way home there were two things Stan had said that kept rolling over in my mind. The first is what he had said about the Holy Spirit. The second was about praying to be shown where God may be taking me.
I was not really acquainted with the Holy Spirit. I knew He was part of the Holy Trinity, but I was not familiar with what role, if any, He could and would play in my daily life. As to praying, it occurred to me that maybe I should pray and ask for help in my understanding of the Holy Spirit. When I got back to my apartment that is exactly what I did.
Although I had some experience with prayer, I was not what could be called a “praying man.” I got on my knees next to the bed and didn’t know how to begin, but all of a sudden I had this amazing sense of peace and the desire to just be quiet and allow myself to be taken into God’s presence. This had never happened to me before! It was amazing as my mind was filled with thoughts of God I had never experienced. And there was an incredible feeling of peace that I could not understand or describe, but knew was real. It was like there was a voice inside of me that told me not to be concerned with praying, but to bask in the knowledge that prayers were being offered on my behalf. Only later did I learn that this is one of the roles of the Holy Spirit!
I spent quite a bit of time each morning on my knees before the Lord. As I began my time with Him I asked that He guide me. I would ask and then be quiet — quiet enough so I could hear His voice over my own thoughts. It soon became clear to me that this was something that should be discussed with Stan to see if he would affirm the reality of what I thought was happening to and with me. I was convinced in my own mind that something of significance was happening to me, but since it was so new to me it seemed wise to run it by a mature Christian. From that thought, I began to make a list of questions I would have for Stan when I saw him on Wednesday.
By Tuesday night I had a long list of questions to discuss with Stan. I could hardly sleep that night because of my excited anticipation to spend time with him the next morning. As I lay on my bed thinking about our meeting, I prayed and asked God to give me sleep. The next thing I knew the sun was coming up and it was Wednesday.
___________________________
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
Prayer: Lord, you grant peace. It is one of the fruits of your Spirit. Thank you for all of the peace you pour out for me. Please help me to understand all you have for me. Please, Lord, open me to the depths of my being to receive and embrace all you have. Amen.
Waiting for the Train 