I am with you, declares the Lord. (Haggai 1:13)
I had an awesome experience this week in Houston. I was preparing to head to the airport with a colleague, and faced the daunting task of carrying a heavy laptop bag and suitcase 10 blocks from the account to the hotel, waiting for the hotel valet to get our rental car, and then finally navigating our way to the airport. To make matters worse, my colleague had to spend another two days in Houston, so it was a major inconvenience for him.
I said a quick prayer to the Lord asking for a better way to the airport, to make life easier for the both of us. Five minutes later as we exited the building, a taxi stopped two feet in front of us and let out a passenger. The cabbie noticed my suitcase, and was desperately hoping I needed a ride. Without much hesitation, I bid my colleague adieu and hopped in the cab. The cabbie was ecstatic. He talked for 5 minutes about how slow things had been since 9/11 (it was the first cab I had seen in my 10 block trip in my 3-day visit). He talked about how the passenger he had just dropped off was a friend who desperately needed a ride downtown (which he had given him for free). He talked about how he was hoping against hope that he would find someone who needed a ride to the airport (or he could get into trouble for the courtesy he just extended his friend). He talked about how unbelievable it was when he spotted my suitcase, and better yet needed a ride to the airport.
As he was talking, I could feel the presence of the Lord and I could sense He wanted me to drill deeper - so I asked the cabbie how his life was going. He paused for a second and then proceeded to talk for 15 minutes about how his wife had just left him and had taken their 3 kids. He assured me that he had always been faithful to her, but she had grown frustrated with their financial situation, and his inability to provide for her to the degree she wanted.
It took everything I had to hold back the tears. I could feel the Lord’s compassion for him, and that compassion had been fully transferred to my heart. I shared with him my deep faith in Christ, and how I would be praying for his situation. I told him that prayer had the power to move mountains, as has been displayed in my life many times over. His eyes widened and he pulled out a bible from the dashboard. He said, “I too believe in the power of prayer.” We shook hands and exchanged first names, and I departed with a new friend.
Lord, I ask that your hand forever be upon Daniel. I pray that you touch him and his family. As you promised in your word, I pray that he never loses sight that you are with him - through the good times and the bad.