ROOTED RENEGADE

Detours are necessary to get to the heart of God.

Homeless man and snicker bar.
I went to a Kroger well out of the way of juvenile court today and checking out there were snickers bars at the check out. I haven’t purchased a snickers in maybe a year. I bought 3 (buy 2 get one free) and I almost didn’t grab the third one but I felt prompted when I noticed the sale sign.

I made my way past the school housing and came to a stop sign and there was a homeless man with a sign that said “Homeless.  Will take anything” and I don’t remember what else.  The Holy Spirit told me to give him a Snickers since I didn’t think I had any cash on me.  I was next in line at rhe stop sign and I rolled down my window and he approached the car.  I handed the snickers and told him I didn’t have money but I had a snickers!  His face lit up and he asked me if I was rhe one who gave him a snickers before.  I told him I wasn’t but look at God!  He said Snickers was his favorite!  I was in awe!  He asked me the next time I came around to bring him a King sized and I told him if I was in the area again I would do that.  I told him God Bless as he put up his Snickers and picked up his sign again and I went about my way.

Detours.  There was a closer Kroger, but that wasn’t the point of God’s plan or purpose.  His plan was higher and beyond my understanding.  When I pulled up and gave the man the snickers, I met a need that spoke not just the hunger of the man, but the heart of the man.  It wasn’t about the food, it was about the heart.  “Man does not live on bread and water alone” because bread doesn’t fill the belly, it is “every word that proceeds the mouth of God” that fills the belly and satisfies the soul (Matthew 4:4 Scripture reference).

I listened to the Word proceeding from the mouth of God and therefore gave the man something to begin the satisfaction of the soul.  A heart need.  The man needed to be seen by God.  Loved by God.  Heard by God.  In obedience to the Word, God was able to show the man He knew him.  Of course, God could have done that well without me.  I am a mere sinner that He uses.  However, God uses His people to be relational in experience with others so that those who think they cannot see, see the hand of God in their lives.

How glorious it is to be used by a Holy God!
How glorious it is to be placed in front of a man who needed his heart touched and to be the one who witnessed it through a tangible item such as a Snickers bar.

Detours are necessary to get to the heart of God.  Don’t discount the detour and work on reducing your grumbling and complaining along the way.  The Lord has already gone before you and paved the way for you so that your detour grows you while producing fruit in your life.  Allow it.  Not all detours are comfortable, welcoming, or fun.  If you allow the Lord to do His work in you, the growing you experience is well worth it!

Won’t you allow detours today?

Faythe Kadona