Luke

When we arrived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a van was waiting to take us to pick up our rental car. There were quite a few passengers, but for some reason we and the clean-cut young man across from us had seats to ourselves. We soon got into a conversation with him.

We learned that this passenger was in the Navy as a physician. He told us each branch of the service has its own medical team, which I didn’t know. Soon we began discussing the traveling we’d each done, and I mentioned the “killer trips” to Japan when we were missionaries. He said he had been stationed in Guam and understood that sort of travel.

As we exited the van together, he asked if we were with a particular denomination or mission. I replied, “Our denomination is Christian Missionary Alliance, but our mission was OMS, International—the letters standing for One Mission Society. In other words we have One Mission, to take the good news of Jesus to the world.”

Standing outside the van, I added, “Are you a Christian?”

He smiled and said, “Yes, I am!”

“I thought so! You have that sort of beam about you!”

As he turned to leave, he said, “Thank you for your service in Japan!”

“And thank you for your service to our Country! We appreciate it so much!”

We went our separate ways to visit our rental agencies, and when we got to Hertz who also served our agency, the young service man was just finishing his paper work. As Donn took his place, I asked the young man his name.

“Luke,” he said.

“Oh that’s a good name!”

He smiled and pointed to the heavens and said, “God knew what He was doing!”  (Luke in the Bible was also a doctor.)

We said our good byes once more and I used what has become my favorite phrase with folks we’ve met who love Jesus and whom we are unlikely to ever see again, “If I don’t see you again here, I’ll see you in heaven!”

His smile beamed once more as he said, “Yes! I’ll see you in heaven!”

And the song that rings in my heart as I say those words is “What a day of rejoicing that will be!” I’m getting a long list of people I’m eager to see again in heaven!

Jeremy

We met many different people at Kamp Kawanis which had been rented from July 1 to July 6 for our granddaughter, Joy, and Yanik’s wedding. The best man, Robert, introduced us to folks a couple of times by saying we had been missionaries in Japan. One of the people we met was Jeremy, who is a student at the school Yanik attended and where Yanik is now employed.

The next day as we were sightseeing, Jeremy struck up a conversation about our ministry in Japan. Moved by his interest, I told him more about that experience, then asked what his plans were for the future. He has another semester to finish, and at that time, he could graduate, or he could continue for another year.

Jeremy shared the very real way God had led him to attend that school, but he isn’t as sure about God’s plans for him for the future. I talked to him at length about Romans 12:1-2 and the importance of being willing to do whatever God may ask of him. I told him how the Holy Spirit had prompted me to make a promise to God to do, go, or be whatever God asks.

I added, “I believe God wants to know we’re committed to being obedient before He reveals His plan.”

What a blessing to have a young person show so much interest in knowing God’s plans for his life. Please pray for Jeremy that he would be completely surrendered to God’s will and that God would reveal His plans to Jeremy.

Father, thank you that when we have even brief encounters with people who love you, we know that one day, we will see them again!  Amen.