Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Meeting Sheila - a divine appointment...


(photo on our recent trip to London)

When we boarded our nonstop flight to JFK in New York City, our layover stop on our flight to London, we were both exhausted from the physical and emotional impact of moving and saying goodbye to our home of sixteen years the day before.  I intended to rest on the flight, but I guess God had other plans.

She was in the seat by the window. I was in the middle seat.  My husband was in the aisle seat, already settled in with his noise canceling headphones on, shutting out the world around him. I knew he'd be asleep before long.  By her feet was portable oxygen being pumped into her nose and lungs.  It made a soft woosh, woosh sound.  I guessed that she was in her early to mid seventies, but it was hard to know for certain.

Our conversation began by her expressing concern that my foot room was being cramped by her oxygen, or that the noise was bothering me.  I could tell right away by her accent that she was heading home to New York City, or at least somewhere close by.  I was right.  She lived just across from Manhattan in New Jersey.  Her husband sat a few rows ahead of us and across the aisle.  They were returning home after enjoying a river cruise on the Columbia River.  They loved to travel, and were determined to keep doing so as long as they were able.

It was after she found out that my husband is a pastor that the conversation shifted to deeper things.  I'm used to this, people tend to either shut down or open up.  She did the latter, even saying that she felt she could talk to me because most ministers, most Christians, stand beside Israel. Sheila is Jewish. I explained to her that Christians feel this way because the Bible tells us that God will bless those that bless Israel and that He also told us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  I told her that we believe that God is a promise keeper, and that He made a covenant with Israel that He is fulfilling.  I even went on to explain that He made certain promises to the Arabic people as well.  She and I both agreed that the slaughtering of Arabic believers is of the same spirit as the return of rampant anti-semitism.  She's as sickened at the martyring of Christians as I am of the slaughter of the Jews. 

The next two hours she told me the story of her family, those that died in the Holocaust, those living now in the United States and what brought them here, those living in Israel.  Throughout the conversation there were times when both of our eyes filled with tears.  I loved listening to how she tracked down long lost relatives in Israel, how they often fly to Israel to celebrate Passover.

I grieved with her when she talked about the shift in the U.S. policies toward Israel.  She worries about her loved ones in Israel not being able to count on the U.S. being a place of refuge for them.  She told me about her and her husband's love for travel and all of the places in Europe that they've been and would love to return to.  Except, her husband won't let them go anymore.  He feels it's not safe.  He doesn't want to spend money in countries that are allowing a return of nazism and other anti-semitic activities.  He sees history repeating itself.  Sheila looks at me and my husband, at the Christians we represent, as the last people who won't forget, who won't let it happen again.

As we neared our destination, where we would board our flight to London and she and her husband would catch their ride to New Jersey, Sheila told me about their winter home in Florida.  There, she told me, she has been attending a ladies' Bible study on the book of Revelation.  "I'm the only Jewish person at the the Bible study",  she told me.  

When we parted, I told her what a blessing it was that we had met.  I told her that she'd be in my prayers.  I often think of her sitting in that Christian Bible study.  I pray that those ladies love her well.  I pray that Jesus' great love is revealed to her.   I pray that she has a revelation of Jesus as the Messiah Israel has been waiting for. I don't think I met Sheila by accident or happenstance. I think God put me there for a purpose, to confirm to her that Christians care and so I would be praying for her.  I'm asking you, will you join me in praying for Sheila?


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23 comments:

  1. Yes, I will join you and pray for Sheila. What a time God had planned for the two of you! Time in a place where you were free to talk and share. What a blessing you were to her. You may have been the person God used to draw her to Himself, dear friend. We never know.
    ~Adrienne~

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  2. I'm so intrigued by the "dots" that the Lord connects to bring people to Himself! (I'm wondering if it's not a Bible Study Fellowship study she's involved in. Seems so many of my friends all over the country are studying Revelations with BSF.....)

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    1. I love the divine tapestry that God is weaving all of the time. How amazing the threads that connect us are, and how beautiful the final revelation of the work that He is doing will be!

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  3. Elizabeth, what a precious conversation you had with Sheila! Joining you in praying for her today!

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  4. Thank you for sharing this divine appointment with us, Elizabeth. Praying for Sheila this morning. Hugs

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  5. Yes, yes, yes I will--how totally incredible our God is--I love his orchestration. He writes the most beautiful of symphonies.

    On my next "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" post, I would love to link to this if it is okay with you.

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    1. I would love that. The more people praying the better!

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  6. What a gift that story was. What a gift. Reading through tears, friend.

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  7. What a beautiful encounter! God is so amazing like that, isn't He? With a lump in my throat and a burden in my heart, I will join with you and the ladies above and all who read this in praying for Sheila. What a privilege it will be.
    blessings my friend,
    Cindy~

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  8. God always has a plan!!! You two were meant to sit next to each other.
    Of course, I will be praying for Sheila. It always happens when we least expect it...and don't ya just love it that way?!!
    Addie

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    1. Thank you so much for remembering Sheila in your prayers!

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  9. She's been in my prayers since you shared this story with me. God's ways are so awesome! That truly was a divine appointment.

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  10. What an incredible story. Oh, Lord, let Sheila's eyes be open to the wonder of You. May she see Your heart for her and her people.

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  11. Love how god does this. What a tremendous gift Elizabeth. I'l try to pray for her too. Adding her to m prayer app.

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    1. Thank you so much, friend. And tell me more about this prayer app!

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  12. I'm just catching up on some blogs, so only read this today, but I prayed for Sheila's salvation/completion, and for the peace of Jerusalem. Thanks for sharing!

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