It was a Thursday and everything about my life had been turned on end. I was carrying burdens that few knew about, trying to be a youth and creative pastor and just physically exhausted. I decided on that afternoon to take a random trip to Virginia Beach. It was off-season and I simply wanted to be alone and watch the sunrise. I got an amazing off season deal on an oceanfront room for only $29. On the way, I prayed, listened to music and cleared my head.
When I rolled in that evening, the sun was already setting. I checked in, admired the view I would have in the morning and then headed out to get some dinner. I decided to just grab a sandwich and drink at 7-11 since it was getting late. When I stepped out on the street, I couldn’t help but notice the lines at the bars on the strip. I looked up “No, I need time AWAY”. I literally told God no, because the natural inclination of my heart has always been to share His love with people. I felt rejected and alone and was fighting a seeping bitterness.
I walked toward the beach to take in the salt air. By this time, it was already 10:30pm. The November air was chilly, and there was literally not a soul on the beach. I walked down to the end of the boardwalk and onto the beach. On my way back, a young man passed me. It was about 11pm. I almost ran into him as I was walking with my head down watching the steps.
“Excuse me sir?” He stopped.
“Hey. How’s it going?”
“I was wondering if you smoked, I was going to bum a cigarette.” He was clean cut and polite, not typical for drifters you run into at the beach.
“Sorry, I don’t smoke. But I am heading to 7-11 to grab some food, if you want I’ll get you a pack there.”
“No sir, but I appreciate your kindness, thank you.” With that he walked off.
It was midnight, I had been to 7-11, finished my sandwich, and was now walking down Atlantic Avenue toward a new park to honor famous Virginians. I heard footsteps about a half a block behind me, and I turned to glance over my shoulder. It was the same guy from earlier, and he was now the one looking down at his steps.
“Did you find your cigarette?” I asked and he jumped a little.
“Oh, hi, you are the guy from earlier. Yes I bummed one from someone. Thanks” He seemed genuine.
“So, what’s got you walking out here this time of night? ” It was the question that God had planned the trip for. I didn’t realize it then.
“Well, sir, I have had a really bad week. I’m in the Navy and we are docked here for a few days.”
To be honest, I never saw this coming. I was not going there to help anyone, to talk to anyone, certainly NOT to be used by God for THIS trip. This was the one trip I had taken to get away from giving for a bit.
I felt like I had been in a fish for three days and spit on the shore as he continued “I lost everything this week. We have been out at sea, and as soon as I got back, my girlfriend here broke up with me. Before that, I got off the ship and didn’t have an assignment clear yet, so I asked if I could leave my duffle bag and belongings at the dock for a while. After getting back from my girlfriend breaking up with me, I found they had thrown my bag away. It has my CD player, my CD’s, my clothes, my toothbrush and bath soap and things like that in it. It even had my spending money. I’m not telling you this because I’m asking for anything, just letting you know what my week has been like.”
I honestly don’t know how I ended up an hour later, back at the ocean, standing next to him pointing at the moon on the water. “Do you really think this was an accident?” As we walked and talked, I had my palm pilot out reading Bible verses. I tried to give him illustrations and parables, but whenever I read a verse, he would say “That actually makes sense.” My stories were falling flat but God’s Word was illuminating.
At 3 am, now sitting in the cafeteria area of my hotel, I asked him “So, you told me you Understand what it means to give your life to Christ. You can do that right now if you want.”
“No, I don’t know. I want to think about it.” He seemed to be unsure.
“O.K. When you know the truth, choose it. Before that I am not going to rush you.”
“But!” he continued “If my bag hadn’t gotten thrown away, if my girlfriend hadn’t broken up with me, if you hadn’t had this idea just this afternoon to come to the beach today, if you hadn’t been walking past me at that precise time….. Yeah, I’m ready, let’s do this.”
I was flabbergasted. I had been the most unwilling servant God could ask for and He ended up doing an end run and using me anyway. It was as though God were using this guy to minister to me. To say to me “see, you can run and feel useless but I am not putting you on a shelf or retiring you because you can’t handle what life has thrown at you.” God’s power was perfected that evening in my utter weakness.
I led an eager young man in a prayer of faith and repentance. He turned his life over to God and asked for God’s forgiveness and wholeness. He had tears in his eyes when he finished the prayer and said what I have heard many times before “It felt like a heavy weight just fell off of my back.” He was smiling.
“By the way, what size clothes do you wear?” I asked. He wore the same size as me. It was then I realized, I had never unpacked my backpack upstairs, and again blown away by how crazy perfect the scenario was, told him “I’ll be right back.”
I literally did not open the backpack, but brought it down and sat it on the table next to him. “Here you go, still packed. I have a set of clean clothes your size, shampoo, soap, new toothpaste, a CD player and CDs and a few unopened bags of chips. I think God meant this for you.”
With that, he started crying and said “Thank you, sir. Thank you…” he looked up to the ceiling “Thank You!” Inside, I kept saying thank you to God as well.
“Here’s a few bucks, you’ll want to get a new toothbrush.” As I handed him a few dollars he laughed.
I asked him if I could get a picture, because I would really want to remember this. I conclude with that photo I took about twenty years ago at 3am in that cafeteria. It was a time and space God met two people to remind them in a most spectacular way that they both mattered to Him.
