Be Available

At this point in my life I'm trying to figure out what God wants me to be doing, what is on His mind for me. I'm endeavoring to move in the directions He is revealing to me--wandering around downtown chatting with street people, supervising once a week at an emergency shelter, hanging out at a soup kitchen (Rainbow Kitchen), and a couple coffee joints (Blenz, Cornerstone Cafe)
So, last night at the shelter, a lady up and asks me out of the blue if I would pray for her. What do you think I said?!
Last week at the soup kitchen, a guy sits down beside me and tells me he wants to get into detox for his drug problems. Do you think I encouraged him to check out the possibilities?!
All I'm trying to do is be available, and God brings them by.
Last fall, I met a young guy at my favorite coffee joint (Blenz). Turns out that he is a Christian, studying at university, but hadn't found a church home yet that 'fit'. We started meeting every week for good conversation, to encourage each other, and to work our way through a couple books (Wild at Heart, and Blue Like Jazz). It's getting progressively harder to get through a chapter within 2 hours, because we have such a great time getting sidetracked on lots of stuff. BTW, he's found a church.
Just being available.
I suppose it sort of has to do with being in the right place at the right time, but the good thing is that God works out the timing.
Many of these kind of encounters are brief, one-time events. I don't always know what God's big plan is, or how it is turning out. Still, I know God is a big God, and can bring many things together to work His plan. It may well just be a smile, a kind work, a listening ear, a cup of cold water.
Be available.
Don't wait for the big chance, the golden opportunity.
Start now.
Be available.
(Oh yeah, keep your eyes open, be looking)