on Homeless

Downtown. Cars honking. Pedestrians crossing. Surprisingly warm. Whoa, windy. Cold. Lost. Really? GPS. Working? No. Yes. Um... "Go 416 feet and make a u-turn." What happened to the walking setting?

"Excuse me sir." Oh boy... "Sir, Jesus Christ sent me here to tell you that He loves you."

How can I get out of this?

"How do I get to GRCC?"

"You know, you might not be walking according to everything you know is true. The devil is clouding your mind so that you cannot see things clearly but God sent me here to tell you that you need to guard your mind."

Did he just ignore my questions?

"I'm Joseph." Eye contact. Swollen and cloudy.

"I'm Daniel." Hand shake. Cold skin.

"Daniel, Jesus is coming soon and you need to be ready for His coming. Because He's coming as a judge. I don't know if you're mad at God or not or what your situation is but He's coming very soon to talk us back to heaven with Him.

"I know." Look past. Group sitting on park bench. Talking. Laughing. Look back. Shake head

Might be here a while...

Listen to him Dan. The Holy Spirit might be speaking through him!

"Daniel, I'm homeless. No place of my own. But I'm happy. I love life because I know Jesus. When you go home tonight and are laying down on your bed think about what I'm saying to you."

Not your typical homeless person.

Keep listening! This is for you.

Here goes nothing.

"Jesus takes care of me. He knows my heart. He's given me boldness to be able to talk to people like you. We've never met. I don't know if my situation will ever get better but the Lord knows my heart and I'll serve Him no matter what.

"The Lord knows that I love people and that's why I came to talk to you today. I gonna tell you straight. The devil will do everything he can and throw difficulties your way and the Lord will even allow it to happen. Just stay faithful! He's testing your faith.

"Jesus is coming very soon."

"Thank you for talking to me, Joseph. I appreciate your willingness to be used by the Lord. I believe what you've told me today is true and the Lord used you to encourage me today. Thank you."

"Alright man. Be faithful."

"Hey, How do I get to GRCC?"



Within the last year Grand Rapids estimated a homeless population of over 3,000 people. Some of them have jobs but can't afford housing. Others have nothing but the clothes they wear. Some have died in the snow. Some are driven place to place seeking shelter. Others have been helped by Guiding Light Ministries Homeless shelter which shares the gospel with anyone that comes into their grounds.

My conversation with Joseph was encouraging. The Holy Spirit spoke to me today through his words, "Don't give up. Keep pressing on."

Joseph and I area so different. Besides the fact that he is tall and I'm short, he's black and I'm white, I have a job, a car, food, shelter, clothing, even friends and family to fall back on in hard times while he has nothing but faith in Jesus. He believes that God will pull through when the time is right. "God knows my heart and He'll reward me in due time."

But in some ways Joseph and I are not that different. I recognize too, that I am homeless, a stranger and a pilgrim on this earth. Like Abraham of old I am looking for a home where God is the builder.

The Bible has promised that if we look for that heavenly home we will find it.

Hebrews chapter 11:8-10, 13-16 reads,

"By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God...

"...These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country... But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city."

Christians may be homeless on this earth but like my new friend says, "Jesus is coming back soon to take us to our real home."

I'm thanking the Lord for sending Joseph to me today because he helped paint the right perspective on life. God always pulls through at the right time.

Seeking my real home...