You Carry His Presence

Peggy was exhausted after having just finished directing a conference, so she and her husband went to Florida for vacation. She warned her husband, "I need to be by myself, I don't feel like talking; I want silence."

Peggy went to the beach and saw a gorgeous woman who looked like she was in her 40's. She sat down beside Peggy and began telling about herself mentioning she was Jewish.

Peggy listened politely and treated her kindly, but was in no mood to be chatty. She decided to take a walk, but the lady was right behind her. Peggy said, "Every time I would go outside, there she was like she was attached to my hip."

Peggy told her husband, "That woman is really bothering me." So they prayed that the woman would leave her alone, but again the woman was there.

One Sunday Peggy and her husband were on our way to church with their Bible and they saw this woman and her husband in the elevator. After that the woman continued to show up when Peggy went outside. Finally, Peggy told her husband, "We might as well go home to get some rest."

A couple weeks later they found this message on their answering machine from the lady's husband: "We have some very upsetting news and want to talk with you." When Peggy's husband called, the woman's husband said, "We just learned that my wife has terminal cancer and has only a few months to live. We are sorry to bother you, but we didn't know any other Christians besides you. My wife wants to talk to your wife."

Peggy said, "I fell on my face before God. I could not talk then, so my husband said I would call her back." After that initial call, they stayed in contact, and Peggy was able to lead her to trust in Jesus.

A Spirit-filled person makes a difference even though she is unaware of it. God promises His people, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor" (Isaiah 49:3).

When we are with a non-Christian, God wants us to realize we have brought the presence of Christ to that person. As we listen to Him, the Spirit will give us the mind of Christ for that one.

Thank You, Father, that we are carriers of the Ark of the Covenant--the holy presence of the living God. Enable us to live in awe of this truth and to submit to Your Spirit within continually.

"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? ...God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17).

You "have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Gal. 3:27).