Illistrations.

I had a meeting with God today..
It was strange,
but much needed..

I left the house with a small errand list.
It was a stretch because of the 100 degree weather,
and this headache/toothache I have been combating for the past week.
Needless to say, I was feeling very self absorbed in my pain, and in the fact that I leave tomorrow for a week..

I got the girls situated in the cart at Fred's and as I was heading into the store I saw a young man sitting on the ground.. He looked about my age, maybe younger, his head was full of long thick dreads and his clothes were filthy.. I usually get nervous and go the long way around beggers, I am kind of paranoid that they may be predators, and being the mother bear that I am.. But for some reason I walked by him and smiled, his eyes were soft- not shifty like most I have come in contact with.. I noticed he had a sign but I kind of acted like I didn't see it.. I couldn't read the words on it but my guess was that he needed money or something.. So I quickly made my way past and prayed that someone would help him in the way that he REALLY needed..

Well I got into the store and I thought "maybe I should get that guy a bible, he needs Jesus".. So I took the long way around the store and as I was walking past the water God told me to get one.. And I thought "Of course Lord! It's 100 degrees outside, he must be parched.." So I smiled to myself and asked, "what else?"... I really didn't hear anything else so I grabbed an apple and thought, "who doesn't want an apple.."

Then I grabbed the few things I needed and headed over to the book section.. Well, I got really frustrated.. All they had was a giant King James version bible and a bunch of self help books.. So I was looking through the books, thinking I would just get him one of those, and I found myself getting really irritable with my kids for grabbing at stuff and fussing...

So I said forget it and left the store..
But when I got back outside the man was gone.

WHAT?!

"Lord, didn't you tell me to get water?"
He said, "yes, YOU need the water and I NEED you to trust me."

It was only then that I realized HOW thirsty I was..
It's completely metaphoric,
In fact I'm second guessing as to whether that guy was even there to begin with.

So crazy what the Lord uses to show us we need to be filled with His spirit,
with His living water...