Allow me to continue the story of our experience at the Beth Moore conference this past weekend.
Friday night came to a close. We had enjoyed wonderful praise and worship music, and powerful Bible teaching from Beth Moore. We knew that Saturday morning would come very early as doors opened at 7:30, and we had an hour drive to get there. So along with 8800 people, we made our way to the car quickly Friday night in hopes of avoiding the traffic snarls. Pleased with our free parking space, we walked with ease back to our car. The mainstream headed in the opposite direction, and I was sure we were free to drive away within minutes back to the freeway.
As we turned into our lot, our mouths dropped open, and dismay could be seen on our faces. I had backed my car in, and to our surprise, two cars had pulled in front of us, positioned long ways blocking us in. We had cars on both sides of us, a pole and hedges behind us. We were not going anywhere. The same gentleman who had been directing parking when we arrived, was now directing people leaving. I approached him to ask how he could allow cars to park like that, and he responded, “I didn’t, they pulled up, got out of their cars, and ran before I could ask them to move.”
What were we going to do? If for some reason an emergency had come up, we wouldn’t have been able to get out. We could be hours before the cars in front of us moved. And so we sat. The man kept coming over to our car as most of the cars in the lot had now drove away – all but the ones parked around us. Twenty minutes had passed, and there were four cars left in the lot – mine and the three surrounding me.
The man and I started talking about God, and I mentioned that I believed Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. I wasn’t too sure he believed in God, or in what Jesus did for him and me. He never confessed to really knowing and walked away.
After awhile, we watched two groups of people walk up, jump in their cars, and drive away. These cars had been parked on either side of me. All that remained was the car in front of me.
The man walked up to my car and said, “Now you have a choice. You can get out by going left, or you can get out by going right. It’s your choice, have a good night.”
My friend and I looked at each other in disbelief. I started the car, went backward as far as I could, turned the wheel sharply to the right, and very carefully went left. The vehicle blocking me in was now the only car in the lot.
I don’t know what happened as to why this happened to us. Could it be that I was supposed to talk to this man about Jesus? Was it a test of my patience? I don’t know. I do know I managed to keep cool about it and not lose my witness. Here was a man who knew we had just come from hearing Beth Moore teach, and how devastating it would have been if I had acted inappropriately over not being able to get out.
We find ourselves in situations very similar to this. We may not be blocked in by other cars, but there are times when our frustrations outweigh our witness, and we lose our temper. How do we look to the person questioning God’s existence? How do we look to the people watching us to see what having a relationship with Jesus looks like? Hopefully, when people look at us, they see Jesus Christ in us. Hopefully they see us differently than the way the rest of the world looks.
Father, Friday night was a wonderful way to start a weekend where I experienced your presence in so many ways. I’m thankful Father I kept my wits about me, and didn’t get angry over the parking situation. I could have embarrassed myself and my friend. Father I have come to learn that you will use any situation as an avenue to get the Word out about your son Jesus Christ. I thank you for placing us in that situation to be used by you. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
In His Service
Jeanette Duby
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