Who knew??

At the start of the day I had plans...I was going to 'help' at my Church's Alpha Away Day. I imagined that this would involve me being neither use nor ornament because I'm not feeling particularly filled with the Spirit at the moment and as the day was about introducing the Holy Spirit to the guests, I expected to be taking a somewhat back seat during the proceedings.

However, it seemed that God had a different plan. At the end when the guests had chance to respond to Jesus and become Christians or simply receive prayer from the leaders if they wished to. I stayed back on purpose letting the more experienced Christians approach people. It was whilst I was watching the room that I saw one of the guests on their own and went to speak to them. There was much praying with me and another leader and the guest, again I took a back seat and although I felt that God wanted me to pray for the guest I didn't because I doubted God's words. I did however tell the guest what had been in my heart and what I had not said after the prayers of others because I figured that what I thought was insignificant might well be one thing that another need to hear.

At this point two other leaders joined us and the previous leader left. Again there was a lot of discussion and prayer for the guest. After which one of the leaders ask the guest if they were ready to be a Christian (they had previously said that they felt like they were on a precipice and didn't know if they could or were ready to make that step in faith). When they replied yes I was happy and thought how special it was that I could be present when someone gave their life to Jesus (having only been present at one commitment before), this is where the shock was, because one of the leaders then asked me if I could remember what I had prayed in my commitment. Being as though it was only three months, almost to the day, that I had prayed it, I answered yes. He then suggested that I lead this guest to God by praying a prayer of Commitment that the guest could then copy!!!

Firstly, what faith this leader must have had to think that I could do that, I have only prayed out loud for people three times previously and still get immensely nervous about the prospect of it because I worry that I might not say the right thing (if I trusted in the Holy Spirit more for guidance then I think I would probably be less nervous...!!!)

Secondly, it wasn't a run-of-the-mill prayer (not that any is particularly) but it was THE prayer, the one that I imagine every Christian remembers praying and I was in some way in charge of voicing that for someone else and all off of the top of my head!

Those were the two thoughts that instantly bounded into my head...and yet I agreed straight away because I felt that it would be a privilege to be able to do this. In order to pray the prayer I did something that I haven't really ever done in prayer, not properly, I stopped thinking with my head and spoke with my heart. The guest copied my words and became a Christian - HOW AMAZING IS THAT!! The joy and the release that I saw in this person is the best thing that I have ever had a part in, none of the glory for the peace and calm that descended is mine - it is all God's and the fact that the leaders and God trusted me to do this on His behalf is still sinking in.

After the commitment prayer we all prayed for the guest and this time I offered my prayer for them, I didn't for the first time, feel like I was unable or inferior, to do so. I meant every word and yet they didn't feel like my words but the words that God had put on my heart.

So the day that I had decided that I would take a backseat in, God chose to lead me to the front and put some of my experience as a Christian out there to help someone else to be saved. An awesome privilege for anyone, let alone a brand-new-believer!!