I hate being in the last boarding group on Southwest. Every window and aisle seat is taken. Everyone seated has their head down to avoid eye contact lest I take that as an invitation to squeeze into the middle seat. I delay the inevitable and eventually invade the personal space between two people on Aisle 18.
I try to make the process as painless as possible for my two new travel companions. I have no overhead luggage and only bringing my iPad to my quick trip to Houston. No backpacks. No big jug of water. No bag of food. Trying to be user-friendly. I even avoid putting my elbows on the arm rest to allow them their personal space. Moments later my two new friends settle back into their routine. My aisle friend is back asleep with his neck brace and headphone. My window friend is back to reading her book. A book entitled, “The Existence of God.” She is on page 5. She is using a receipt as a bookmark. From the date and time on the receipt she apparently bought the book about 20 minutes earlier in the airport. Hmmmmmmm. Really? I smiled.
As we back away from the gate she closes the book. Closes her eyes. Opens her eyes. Looks at me and smiles. I smile back and say, “my name is Drew”…”hi, my name is Jamie.” I told her I noticed her book and asked what prompted her to start reading it.
She told me her story. Raising her hand at VBS when she was 12. Getting baptized. Trying to read the bible. Never really understanding. Drifting. Then off to college and drifting further. Now in a successful career and wondering if there is more. “Please let there be more than this.” She had found a few books on the topic of heaven and had just found this one about God in the airport. She was reading it but didn’t have any context to understand.
I smiled and opened up my HolyBible app for her to read Acts 8 about Phillip and the Ethiopian. Phillip crawled into a chariot. I crawled into a airplane seat. The Ethiopian was reading Isaiah. Jamie was reading about the existence of God.
For an hour we started in Genesis and walked into Romans. Sharing the narrative of the Gospel. Showing her how she is His. How He has called her to Him. How she has victory over sin and assurance of eternity in Him.
From my middle seat God gave me the blessing of being Phillip to this Ethiopian.
Jamie, may the Lord bless you, keep you, smile upon you, and bring you His peace.
Latest posts by drewdickens (see all)
- Eager To Do Good - March 13, 2024
- Enhancing Athletic Performance: The Power of Christian Meditation in Barcelona World League Soccer - March 13, 2024
- Stillness in the Spirit: Embracing Christian Meditation in Modern Life - March 12, 2024