What goes on with me... most of the time I do not know... I have given up trying to figure out why or what will happen.. I live in the moment... Not trying to be in any manner flippant here, but realizing there is one in control of all of this and it is not me so why get hung up on it.
When I "really" do this, live in the moment and let go, let God, things work for me, things are shown and given to me. Situations and people come into my life in the most amazing ways.
One such person I met only recently, his name is Ray. I "heard" of Ray for about a month or two before I decided I would like to meet him. Ray is an ordinary man, working class, married with a family. My first encounter with Ray came after speaking with someone who knows him, Ray then being most gracious to allow me to come to his house and meet him personally. Something I might not have done if the situation were reversed, being a very private person. Yet here was this man opening his home and himself to me; me a stranger wanting to hear his story and witness of faith. When first I met Ray, he was most cordial and kind, again I would not have been so. For I questioned him and asked him questions about that, which is personal to him in regards his spiritual experiences. Yet here was this man endlessly kind to this stranger, pressing him to tell me about himself. My response probably would have been back off, you have no right to know me so why are you asking, not Ray, he smiled and answered what I asked him.
Not only was Ray patient and kind with me, he gave me a "tour" of his paintings, statues and such. These "things" being something to see... for you see these things are weeping oil. I held some of these objects in my hands and as I was holding them they dripped oil into my hands. I asked Ray if he ever had the oil analyzed, he did, saying that they came back as being 97% pure olive oil 3% unknown... I mention this for I am aware of other "weepings of oil" that have been declared "miraculous" and they have tested to be olive oil usually with a portion of an oil, "unknown".... In my opinion this is most significant for in Scripture it speaks about the use of olive oil and the church uses this oil as well.
After my first encounter with Ray, I decided I would go to his weekly prayer group, that he has at his home. Each time I have gone ,(three times so far), there are a different group of people present. Some traveling nearly 2 hours to come. These people are varied in their backgrounds, from artists to a doctor. On some level each and everyone of them has been "touched" by Ray, who is clearly "touched" by God. Ray also has "stigmata", although not active all the time. I sit and I pray with these people when I am there, after this Ray goes into a private room and prays with anyone who needs one on one prayer. Ray also has a cell phone in his hands at all times, he takes phone calls from people who are in need of prayer or just a kind word. This man is "on" 24/7 to lift people to God in prayer. I think about Ray and all his doings for others and I am embarrassed, for I do not have the "clean intent" this man does. No I am one of impatience, I am very much a person of personal boundaries and personal space, whereas Ray has dropped all of these things in favor of loving others and being kind.
I have heard Ray speak and his theology is not always correct, nor is his "lifestyle" the customary one the church holds as being "Holy", (but with this I say as an echo of Jesus in Scripture, "who is holy", only our Father in heaven being so), yet I can see where the church would stumble over him. As they have done with me. I make no claim on holiness, I am a sinner in need every moment of salvation. We all are if we think differently we call Jesus a liar for he came to earth to save us... to save us all... There is not one among us without need of salvation. Error is made by anyone or any church that thinks once a person has an encounter with God, they no longer fall into sin or become misguided at times. As long as we are walking in the flesh, we are prone to sin, those touched by God know this, the difference with them is that they also know they can be forgiven and they seek it. So in my typical "verbal style" I say to all, relax know you are a screw up, it is okay we all are, and God knows us all... and he is working with us all.
The last time I spoke with Ray, I said to him and this is truth, the real "miracle of Ray" is not in weeping paintings, statues and such, nor in stigmata, the real miracle is his heart. A heart so big that it fits all who come to him seeking a kind word or a prayer. This is the message that Jesus brought to earth, the signs and wonders were just a "hook" to get the attention of people to look and take notice to see what is happening here. And what is "really" happening with Ray is love, love of God and love of neighbor and this is the "sign, the hook, the miracle" we are all suppose to be bringing into the world and we are all capable of. It is not just Ray's "mission or call" on this planet to do that which he is doing, reaching out to others, it is a call for us all...
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