Cold Calls for God

50 Commandments of Jesus #3

Follow me—: Matthew 4:19. Jesus said, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of people.”

” Hey, how you are you doing today? “

” Oh, my back hurts, my allergies are killing me, stressed at work, not great.” 

How many times do we respond with, ” Sorry, to hear that, I hope it gets better soon. “

Then, we walk away. 

I started a new job a little over 3 weeks ago. Part of my new job is that I have to do cold calls into businesses. I walk in and out of businesses all day long doing my tap dance and song about my product. 

Last week, I did my cold calls to area businesses. I went into one and had a nice visit with a veteran. She mentioned in conversation that she had ringing in her ears like me. She mentioned church; she wore a cross around her neck, but her demeanor was open but with a more guarded body stance and facial expressions. 

I left out of there and for the next week I had a nagging thought about her. ” She needs your prayers. ” 

“You want the ringing in your ears to stop, why didn’t you pray for her? “

This thought circled my mind for a week. When I was getting ready to go back out to my territory, why I was getting dressed I thought, ” Are you going to go by and pray for her?”

When I got back into Lakeway, it was as if I was arguing with the small but nagging thought. ” No, not yet. I am going to do my drop-ins first.” 

The day was over and I pulled into the parking lot. This was outside my comfort zone. She was friendly but an emotionally guarded vet. I told God, ” If I go in here, you better show up. I am being brave. This is outside my comfort zone. “

So I went into the retail store. I did not see her at first. I thought am I off the hook? Then, she came from the back room.  She said, “Can I help you? “

“Do you remember me from the other day? “

“Mam, I see people all day, every day, sorry no.” 

I then started recapping the conversation, details and this jogged her memory. 

“What I am about to say to you is weird, but..”

She tilted her head and gave me a side eye, an uncomfortable side eye. 

I said, ” Since I left you the last time, I have had a nagging, repetitive thought that I am supposed to pray over your ears. “

She looked at me oddly. 

” Your a Christian right? “

“Yea,” she said. 

Still staring at me in an awkward, “What is happening here, look.”

I said, ” Look, I had a conversation with God on the way in here. I said if I am going to be brave and do this, you better show up.  Now, I am not in trouble with God. I have done what he asked me to do with bravery. It’s up to you if you want a prayer or not.”

When I said this, something resonated within her. She nodded in a formal militant way and began walking to the door. She said, ” Let’s go outside.” 

When she opened the door, I asked, ” Is there any other reason I am here today?”

Without hesitation, she said, ” I have been planning my suicide for the last few weeks, searching the bible to see if I will still go to heaven. Everyone I love is there. ” 

Without going into specifics of my prayers, I will tell you that I was immediately emotional. My head went down, my eyes filled with tears and I swallowed. “This is why I am here. ” 

I began to speak life into her. ” God sent me here today to tell you that you are beautifully and wonderfully made. He knows every hair on your head. He loves you. He has a plan and purpose for your life. One day at a time. He does not want you to do this. ” 

I shared my grandfather’s suicide story. Then, I immediately went into prayer rebuking the spirit of suicide, depression and PTSD. 

She seemed to shift when I said PTSD. I could tell she was battling this by her non-verbal response. 

I spoke peace, shalom and life into her after telling the enemy to leave her alone. Then, I cupped my hands over her ears and prayed for the ringing in her ears from combat to go. She was getting a bit anxious as she was managing a store. She said, “I feel better already. “

I said, ” I will come check on you from time to time. “

She left and went inside to manage the store. 

I immediately began crying, all the way to the car and I sat in the parking lot taking in what had just happened. 

My recurring thoughts were the Holy Spirit. He called me to go speak life into her so she would not commit suicide. What if I had ignored the repeat thought? What if I was too uncomfortable and she had taken her life? 

The magnitude of what just happened was mind blowing. The importance of seizing opportunities to pray and listening to that repeat thought or small internal voice was magnified so deeply. 

We must not just comfort people when they are sick, sad or whatever. We must seize the opportunity to do what God called us to do, pray, cast out, heal, speak life into….You maybe the messenger, the disciple he sent. 

On a side note, I had another “God” event on the same day. Not as HUGE as this one but great too. 

So when you are in the world, I encourage you to do your cold calls for God. 

When they say I am sick, or I lost my job or whatever… you say, ” I have a prayer if you want one. “

Then, like her. It is up to them if they want the prayer or not.

 Jesus said, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of people.”

So get to fishing! 

Reflection:

1. Has there been someone you have been thinking about a lot? 
2. Has there been a thought that keeps flying in over and over, prompting you to take action?
3. Are you listening to that inner voice, that gut instinct?
4. Are you praying for people instead of comforting? Practice this week offering a prayer as a solution.
5. Carve out quiet time to listen to God. ( In nature or alone- unplug from world, plug into his frequency)