He is one of the people I can't stop thinking about and praying for since returning. It was the purest experience I've ever had of seeing someone through the Heavenly Father's eyes and the finished work that Jesus' accomplished on the cross.
It's hard to explain. I couldn't stop smiling when we spoke. There was no judgment or condemnation in my heart. I felt nothing but love for the guy. Two weeks later, it's still the same. It's like the Father said, "Here, see Steve the way I see him... I love him."
Ephesians 2:1-10 guides my prayer for Steve:
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
This whole passage gets me excited, but that last sentence gets me super pumped. God absolutely has a plan for Steve. See, God has a track record of taking people who are written-off by society and using them to do mighty things. I believe God will use Steve to radically transform that city.
I believe that before He flung the universe into existence, He knew the mistakes Steve would make. He was not surprised when Steve moved to Pattaya and opened that club seven years ago. He knew the emptiness and pain that would result. This is my story. This is your story.
So, what did God do? He sacrificed His own perfect Son, whom He loved more than we can comprehend, so that Steve, you and I could drink deeply of the truth of His love and grace, propelled forward by it and in it so that we can walk in the good works He prepared for us to do.
God's grace is absolutely scandalous. It's beyond extravagant.
I pray Steve will never forget that night when believers from around the world gathered together in his club and worshiped Jesus. I pray that night will be forever burned into his memory likes his face is burned into mine; that instead of being condemned, he was loved.
God loves Steve so much. I hope to visit him again some day and will continue to pray for him. In the meantime, it's also my prayer that I will see every person I meet the way God sees them; with the same love in my heart that compelled Jesus to seek out the notorious sinners and oppressors of the day. And that's my prayer for you, too.
1 Timothy 1:15-17...
"And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all long-suffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."
Amen.
