Tommy: I changed my mind; you can pray for me.

In all my years of ministry, those who have refused my offer to pray with them have numbered only a handful. One such case was Tommy, a man in his mid-forties who just got out of prison a couple weeks ago. As Milton and I were ministering to some men on Main street last week, Tommy came into my field of vision and my urge to pray for him caused me to literally run him down. He sat and talked with us for about half and hour, telling us of his years in prison. Upon his release, since he had no permanent address, he was brought bu DOC to Durham to a transitional facility. Tommy wasn’t happy there at all–they were just "too religious" to suit him. He would rather sleep on the street than to be there.

As we shared the gospel with Tommy, he listened politely but without expression. When I offered prayer, he refused, got up, and walked away as though I had offended him. I reminded Milton (maybe I was reminding myself) that it is not our responsibility to bring about an immediate effect but to faithfully sow the seed and leave the rest to the Holy Spirit.

Today, I am walking along at a pretty good clip and I hear someone behind me calling out, "Hey, preacher, wait up." I turned around to see Tommy chasing me down the street. When he caught up, he said, "I was wondering if we could talk some more." I took Tommy to lunch and continued the conversation we had started a week earlier.

Tommy told me of a painful childhood that left him confused, angry, and afraid. He spent four years in the Army, traveled from place to place, engaged in all kinds of behavior–good and bad–in an effort to find peace and satisfaction in his life. He has tried to tell himself it doesn’t matter, that he doesn’t need anything anybody. He describes himself as a survivor. And that’s what Tommy has been doing: surviving.

I said, "Tommy, it’s time you came to realize that there is more to life than just surviving. God has a wonderful, productive, fulfilling life in store for you and all you have to do is to give yourself over fully to him. Ask him to forgive you, cleanse you, and heal you of all the wounds of your past." Tommy agreed to do that and I prayed with him. I prayed that God would reveal his love to Tommy, that he would show him his true worth in God’s sight, and create within him a passionate hunger for God.

Tommy promised me that he would listen carefully for God’s voice and that he would follow him the rest of his life. He has promised to come to the meeting at the Bridge on Saturday. Meanwhile, I know where he hangs out and will be checking up on him. Pray for Tommy that he will follow the Lord and come into God’s perfect plan for his life.