Last week I had the pleasure of discussing God with complete strangers. My social circle has dwindled a lot over the past few years and such opportunities are not there. In my last job it was a case of colleagues querying me as to why I believed etc. This time though it was a pleasant surprise and a wonderful opportunity that just passed my way.
The first guy came by the house to tend to some damp issues. Upon asking me if there is an operational C02 monitor. I mentioned that it is always by my big Bible that no one but me is allowed to touch as it was my Mum's Bible. He then told me that his daughter stopped believing in God and that he visited her recently and noticed she had a Bible out on the table. He said he chose to just to observe that fact rather than say anything. He is hoping her faith returns.
The second guy whom I will refer to as the gas man. He came to service the gas appliances and boiler. After about ten minutes or so he looked over at my iPod and asked if that was Christian music I was listening to. I confirmed it was and from then on a conversation ensued.
Throughout our discussion I learned that this man had been on a journey through life and has probably wrestled with a few things. He admitted to no longer believing in God or reading his Bible. At one point despite his lack of belief he did read his Bible. He explained to me he became disheartened with church because he felt that the different denominations concentrate in part on saying they are best because xyz and not focused on the Word.
One of the things that troubled him was the act of speaking in tongues. The Bible states :
If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God (1 Corinthians 14:27-28 KJV)
He basically went onto say that he found charismatic pentecostalist off putting. Because you could be in church and everyone is so eager to prove they have this gift that they compete to a point of faking it. He said you could tell some people were speaking tongues whilst others were pretending. Too often there is no interpretation so how is that when this happens the church is acting according to what the Bible said.
I was like okay. I can understand what you are saying because the Bible does clearly say what speaking in tongues is for etc. We spoke for the majority of the time he was here about God. It just made me feel that deep down inside he probably still believes. He may simply have been failed by the leadership of the churches he attended or something anything. I made sure that whilst he was in my house I sent up a prayer to God. I am believing God for a turnaround in this mans life and that he will come back to church well rather back to his faith in God in Christ. It just sounded like he wants to believe like he once did but some dots are not connecting.
Should I have said to him please pause a minute and let me pray for you so he could here it. Or praying quietly without his knowledge is ok. Surely everyone you pray for does not need to know you are praying for them. After all God is everywhere right. A prayer is a prayer right? In my spirit I just felt like his faith could be restored. How is it that someone who has lost faith in God and no longer believes knows the Word, quotes the Word and would willingly speak non-stop about whom they say belief in has gone. How so?
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