The other night, I saw a guy named Mark Chironna on TV. He's a mail reader. I mentioned what I saw to a fellow co-worker, Bob, over lunch, and boy, was I surprised by his response. I guess I just assumed that Bob probably wouldn't be familiar with what I described. He told me that at his church, West Oaks Fellowship, there is a man who has what they sometimes jokingly refer to as a "parking lot ministry." Apparently this man is quite different from your run of the mill everyday joe. He has inside of him large chunks of scripture. Most Christians memorize a verse or two here and there, this guy has somehow gotten large chunks of the bible inside himself. Memorized entire chapters and books. All living inside of him now. Eaten. This guy seemingly spends more time in the parking lot of the church than inside the walls. He'll randomly strike up conversations with people who are headed inside, "Hi there, how are you today?" Whenever Bob talks to him, he gets the very vulnerable and naked feeling that this man is able to his see insides, and all of Bob's thoughts and the secrets of his heart are laid bare. And apparently he's gifted at not only bringing these issues to the surface, but also lovingly helping people work thru these issues. What an awesome and powerful gift to the body of Christ. I think of what happens when people give themselves to a lifestyle of surrender and worship to God, and day by day, step by step, they grow into intimacy with the Father. And the Father doesn't withhold his secrets, but he allows his children to lean against his chest and listen to his heartbeat, just as John the disciple did, "the one whom Jesus loved." He whispers intimate secrets to those he trusts. According to Bob, this man is sometimes invited to minister to the youth at church. His teaching style is best described as unique. Anyway, its just so cool and weird how these things come together. Bob is an older guy at my workplace, who loves God a lot, but I'd have never expected to hear a story like this from him. Thanks.

The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, "I have no husband,' for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly." The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."

Sometimes, when I'm just hangin' out, thinkin about life and chillin with God, I'll feel the eyes of the prophet upon my own soul. I see the steady gaze of Jesus into my own eyes and I feel weak in the knees because I know that he KNOWS. In that steady gaze, all my folly and weakness is laid out. In the very moment when I realize I could so easily be crushed, I instead find healing for all my wounds, and forgiveness for my sin - like cool water to a parched and beaten man. The gaze isn't one of condemnation but of righteousness and tender love. And he always says to me, time and time again in that moment of nakedness and vulnerability, "Take courage, my son."