Jerry

About every two months or so I go down to the county rescue mission in downtown Marion, and preach for the evening service. This time was a little different because instead of just 5 or 6 guys there, we had nearly 30 guys that attended that night. This is good and bad all at the same time because it shows that there are "at least" this many families living in poverty (but obviously more), on the good side is that they are on a regular basis having the Gospel taught to them and given choices that pertain to their soul's well being.

The day after I was back down at the Mission picking up some things for our food pantry, joking around with the guys and picking on a few of them trying to build a relationship in whatever way I possibly could. While there I met a man by the name of Jerry, a very kind man, humble and affable, not exactly who we would generally think of living at the mission. Well as I was getting ready to leave Jerry approached me and asked if I would remember him in my prayers because he had sinned, and he needed forgiveness for what he did. I of course prayed with him and had a quick talk about what had happened and tried to encourage him.

On the way back to the church I continued to think about what he had asked me to do. He wanted me to pray for his forgiveness! I then proceeded to think about whether God would forgive another person through my prayers. There is also the problem that Jerry seems to have because of the corrupted nature we have that it makes us feel like we are closed off from God and not able to carry anything to Him. So many things that get in our way, and oddly enough the night before I had talked exactly about taking our cares, concerns, problems, anger, sin, everything to Jesus.