Walking the 16th Street Mall
Ever so often I am able to spend extended periods of time with one street kid. We usually walk a lot while we talk. The setting is the same most times; circling the two mile Sixteenth Street Mall. I will never cease to be amazed how the hundreds of other people seem to disappear as we walk and talk.
During one such time my friend and I talked at length about how God had created all things including relationships. I told the story of Adam’s first look at Eve and how he went crazy over the perfection he saw in her. It might have been quite humorous on the street I am sure glad all the other people had disappeared.
My friend has a very strong desire to have a true soul mate and the desire has been his excuse to try and fill it with all kinds of substitutes. He wants to stop smoking cigarettes and marijuana he knows his health would be so much better. However, the only thing he says is the true substitute for companionship is cocaine.
It is this desire he can not give up until he finds the one for him. As we talked he realized how many times he had gone after relationships just hoping to find what he missed, he always tries to fix everything and can not even be without them one minute for fear they will leave. The one thing he desires he says is the one thing he always destroys.
As we talked I spoke about how God also desires relationships and even modeled His relationship with His people as a marriage. We talked about desiring relationship the way God wants it to be, and compared that to his understanding. I know our afternoon was one that helped me desire my marriage to be stronger and I hope it helped my friend.
It was after all this walking and talking that he asks if we could get some food. I know my friend’s favorite is the number nine combo at Mc Donald’s. As we sat to eat he asks if he could pray. I do not think there has ever been a prayer over a chicken nugget dinner like the one I heard this day.
“Father thank you for today and this food you have given. God please give me the desire to quit smoking. Please give me the desire to quit marijuana. Please give me the desire to stop using cocaine. God I need you. Please forgive me of my past and present sins. I want people to not see the person I used to be. God please protect my friends Robbie, Matt and Nikki they are exposed to evil each day, please guard them. God help me find the person you want me to have. In you name, amen.”
I sat there with a smile on my face hoping that all the people around us had reappeared to hear that prayer. Maybe today would be a good day for you to take a friend on a walk. Please be ready for God to go with you and have a few bucks for McDonald’s.
