What if God just heals this guy...

    

     On the hour and a half train ride back to Brooklyn I cried because the Spirit reminded me of passages like John 9 (...blind, but now I see) and Luke 17 (healed leper praising in a LOUD voice). I had a conversation with a troubled man today in the Bronx that left me wondering. He sat alone in the corner of the chicken place. As I walked in he quietly asked for any loose change I could spare. Instead I offered to buy him some food there at the spicy chicken chain. He declined. To my surprise he told me that he had just finished eating. As we spoke he never looked me in the eyes, his speech was a little shaky, but he had cleaned clothes (jeans and a dark t-shirt) and was clean-shaven. We kept talking and he let me know that he had some mental issues, was on government support, and he was sorry to be a bother. I told him he was no bother at all. He had a big, yet sad smile...if that makes any sense. He was probably in his late 40s and asked a number of random questions once he realized I wasn't walking away. He seemed curious about my family's nationality, my eating habits (kinda funny), and if I regularly talked with my extended family. He also wanted to know if I knew many Italians (he was slightly paranoid). There didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to his thought process. I told him my name and he quickly pointed out that Jordan is a Biblical name. He informed me he had been to church when he was younger and ended the conversation by saying that he was just making it by the grace of God. I started to tell him the grace of God is the reason any of us are "making it". He zoned out and I gave him some change. Before I left I asked him how I could pray for him. He told me for his finances and his family.

     I'm learning that every conversation I have with the people in the Bronx is different. Clearly the people are all different. Some are young, old, sick, healthy, well-to-do, and in great need. But the burden to start a church in this area is heavy on my heart and it continues to grow with every new person I meet. As I pray for God to lead me to individuals in Pelham Parkway, He has faithfully answered the request by opening doors. But these conversations are not like those that I've had in OK or TX, its different and I'm not sure how to describe it.
     Today's conversation was challenging, but packed with explosive potential. I pray that miraculous healing comes over this man's mind and his mental state. I pray that his family members (which I could tell they were overwhelmingly important to him) could soon witness a mighty move of God through healing him. I pray that he could find a job/career and support himself and his loved ones. I pray that he would be made a disciple and become a mighty disciple-maker himself. What would the response be? What would his parents say? What would the people who have seen him grow up say? Is Acts 3:10 any indication of what would happen? What if we asked God to move in big ways like this? What if we trusted that tomorrow has untapped potential? What if the God of the universe was willing? What if God is waiting for us to step out on faith? What if God just heals this guy...