An encounter...

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."
~ 2 Corinthians 4:7

The woman smiled as I asked her to tell me about her faith, she then said in very broken English, "Come see my faith room."

Following behind as she maneuvered her walker down the hallway of the home she has lived in for the last seventy years, she took me to a small room.  As I entered the room, I couldn't help but notice that every inch of the room was covered with prayer cards and religious icons.  In the corner was a small altar where there was a small statue of Jesus hanging on the cross, and a kneeler that was worn from use.  "This is my faith room.  I love Jesus, and the saints." 

I felt as if I had drawn into the Holy of Holies.  The Holy of Holies was the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle where God appeared in the Temple.  It was as if I was being allowed into her inner sanctuary where she admitted to praying multiple times a day.  She especially pointed out the kneeler and how her knees had worn the cover completely down to the wood, and the weight of all those years of body praying for long periods of time had created a place where now her knees simply "fit."

She demonstrated, and said, "I'm so comfortable here."

I couldn't help but think how the hard kneeler had found a way to conform to her body, a visual illustration of how God is able to eventually shape us after years of being next to us.

She then also reminded me of the scripture, "In this world you will have troubles but be brave: I have overcome the world.”

She then shared that each day when she prays, she reminds herself, as she looks on all the images in the room of those who lived "selfless lives," and now celebrate Christ's victory over the world, even death and evil.  "You may see an old woman with a lot of struggles, but I have real peace about so many things because I know Jesus won over everything."

I couldn't help but begin to feel the same peace that she reflected in her words.  In many ways, I was being drawn in, and I was reminded of how important our lives lived in Christ becomes to others.

For her, she was telling me her "truth," and I was in the presence of someone who many would consider to be a wise woman of faith.  When I remarked how I felt about her faith, she just laughed, "I'm just an old woman who loves Jesus."

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2020