Who am I to measure success in the things of God

This past Tuesday’s outreach was different than the previous ones.

For the first time we faced really bad weather, heavy rains fell in the Roanoke area pretty much all Monday and most of Tuesday. So much so that I ended up getting stuck at Jeff’s house Tuesday night because his bridge and a section of driveway flooded.

Monday and Tuesday. morning, we had been praying about possibly relocating to a park down the road that has a pavilion. But God never told us to do that, so we didn’t. Still raining as we arrived and started to set up, the rain quickly lessened off and on until finally stopping all together and out came the sun and beautiful blue sky. And then right as we were leaving, here came the heavy rain again. Lord, thank you for that.

It was different because we didn’t get our “hit and run” crowd. Usually we have several people waiting for us to setup and as soon as we are, they grab some pizza and supplies and they are gone. They don’t want to talk, they don’t want prayer, just the stuff. But they were not there this past Tuesday. Even without them, our numbers did not decrease, in fact, this was the first week that we ran out of everything which tells me that we had even more people come through than previous weeks. (So that everyone knows, we have limits to what each person can have.)

It was also different because it was the first time that we had done a Bible study after the outreach. We packed up the tables and supplies and placed 6 or 7 chairs under the canopy right on the corner of Jamison and 13th. We had had signs out the whole time we were there saying that we would be doing a bible study right there at 3:30. The previous Thursday morning, God had told me that it was time to start, He gave me the passage, John 1:1-13 and when I sat down to prepare, the teaching just flowed right out. Over the next few days, I read and reread the passage and notes, I prayed over it, making sure it was what God wanted me to teach. Now it’s 3:45 on Tuesday and no one was there except the team. Then one of our regulars, Brenda, came walking up. She was carrying everything she owns in 3 good size duffle bags. She hadn’t come for the Bible study, she just wanted another Sunny D but when we invited her to join us, she did. I started the teaching, modifying it some to be more appropriate for just a single listener. The only positive response from Brenda throughout the teaching was a bit of a chuckle when I described John the Baptist as homeless. We talked to her some and prayed for/with her but she had no visible interest in any of it and she gathered her bags and went on her way.

To me, in my eyes, the Bible study was not successful at all. But as I said in the title, who am I to measure success in the things of God. What effect did just having a bible study on that corner have on the community that saw us there, on Brenda, on darkness that weighs so heavy there. Did we light a match that day?

I know that I am having some growing pains because of it. God used it to show me how not to teach in that setting, somehow I now care more for these people, my heart aches even more for this community, my community.

God will bring the harvest, “I am but a lowly servant who has done what was my duty to do.” Luke 17:10

Thank you and God bless you.

Derek, Melissa and Alex

Buchanans in the Wild