Downtown 4/28/2013

"He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?" --Romans 8:32

In the book of Acts chapter four we are introduced to a man named Joseph who the disciples called by another name.  That name we are told was Barnabas, which means 'son of encouragement'.  I had driven a long way Sunday and arrived downtown at almost 6 pm.  For some reason, the story of this man kept coming to mind and I started praying that I would be like Barnabas and be an encouragement to someone, hopefully more than one, as I worked among the homeless that evening.  I was tired and certainly didn't feel like an encouragement, but after buying some supplies I was ready to give it a go.  I wanted to go anywhere there was a human hurting.  I know God can do amazing things if one is just willing to put themselves in a position to be used by him.  I can't say that I saw for sure anyone saying or acting in a way that would indicate they were encouraged.  I met two guys named Robert that I hadn't seen before.  Both men were under the I-10 freeway at San Pedro Ave.  They weren't together, but sitting alone around the corner from each other.  I'm sure neither of them were expecting anyone to come up and offer food and water.  One of them accepted the offer for socks too and when I opened the back of the car up, he was amazed that I drove around and gave out stuff to people in need (including him).  When I first pulled up he was sitting on the ground with his head down on his knees.  When I left him (after praying with him) he had a smile on his face.  Maybe he was the one.  Just down the alley from him I looked over a concrete barricade and saw Antonio and Leticia.  Well, they weren't too far from where I usually see them, but I was surprised to find them there.  It probably is a safer location than on Trinity St.

There were a couple of others that I saw Sunday who I haven't seen in a while.  One was Eugene.  I didn't see his wife Helen with him, but he told me she was doing OK and feeling better.  The last time I saw her she was having some health problems.  In another alley off 14th St. I saw the third Robert of the evening.  At times Santa Barbara has stayed with him.  He was alone Sunday, but told me Santa Barbara was doing OK.  He (Santa Barbara) has the tumor on his kidney that he's being treated for.  Before leaving town I drove by and saw John Stokes.  I only had one burger left (I think I got short-changed) at the burger joint.  John had somebody with him and I only had one burger!

I just heard a remarkable sermon by Mario Murillo and one of the key points I'm going to remember and use downtown among the homeless.  Mario said, "Your past does not disqualify you."  This could be taken at least two different ways that I can think of. Your past does not disqualify you from the kingdom of God initially. And, your past does not disqualify you from being used in amazing degrees of usefulness in the harvest of God's kingdom.  I don't know where you are along this Christian journey.  But whatever has gone on before now, does not prevent you from what God can accomplish through you in the future...something to think about before my next trip.  I opened with the verse from Romans 8:32. The net of that verse says, "Your worthy for Jesus to be crucified so you can be redeemed through him.  Your also worthy to 'inherit' all the blessings that go along with the salvation." Remember also the companion verse in John 14:12.  "Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these,...." --- Until then.  John