Last night, I got in a big huddle with my brother, his girlfriend, and her three children from her first marriage, and prayed for them to be encountered by God and to be bold in prayer. I then felt led to ask my brother to lay hands and pray for his girlfriend, which he admitted he had never done before. After he jokingly side tracked for awhile, he eventually invited her to sit next to him so he could lay hands and pray. Instead, she sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. He held on to her tightly and began to pray.
My brother's nervousness seemed to go away as he lead in prayer. His prayer wasn't eloquent, but he prayed straight from his heart and took the time to lovingly speak out and speak over his girlfriend. He eventually started to choke up on his words and scrunch up his face as he was fighting the tears, meanwhile his girlfriend's face was buried in the crook of his neck an she sobbed. They both held on to each other tightly in an embrace, as my brother finished up by giving thanks to God and sealing it with an 'amen.'
Man, it was such a beautiful sight. This was the same brother I talked about ages ago who pushed away from me and built walls between us when I became serious for God. Now he's out running me and teaching me new things and encouraging me in my walk. For two and a half years I prayed for my brother, and now I am seeing the fruit of those prayers.
What a wonder, a mystery, what a poetic picture it is to see how God can dive in to the inner workings of someone, and rearrange them from the inside out. What a great God we have the privilege of glorifying and worshipping. He just takes my understandings of Him and just blows it away, to reveal He is so much better. Gobsmacked this morning.