Getting Warm In Cold Night

“Jesus stopped and called them. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked. ‘Lord,’ they answered, ‘we want our sight.’ Jesus has compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him” – Matthew 20:32-34 (NIV)

Jesus is always compassionate towards people. I want to share the story of Joseph, one of the bell ringers for The Salvation Army.

While working at The Salvation Army in Atlanta, Georgia, I came to know a young man in his twenties by the name of Joseph. He was pursuing a career as a boxer and spent much time working out and dreaming of glory and awards. When he came to The Salvation Army, I shared with him of Jesus love and compassion, and I told him that if he believed in Jesus, He would help him to become a better boxer. He believed and accepted Jesus as his personal savior.

The winter following this first meeting, he became a bell ringer for our red Christmas Kettles. On one cold night, after finishing his shift ringing the bell around 10:30pm, he decided that, instead of going home, he would go to the gym. As he had no vehicle and no one to drive him there, he walked, thinking that his trainer would be there to let him in. When he arrived, the door was locked; his trainer had left early that day. Joseph had on no coat or hat, and after already spending a long day outside, he was very quickly growing cold- his fingers and feet were getting numb. His cell phone battery had gone dead, so he was unable to call anyone to come to pick him up. After a time, he was unable to continue standing and he laid down on the cement; he was aware that it should be cold to him, but he was already so numb that he couldn’t feel it. He prayed to Jesus, asking Him to help him stay warm. He felt warmth slowly spreading from his heart over his body, and slowly his eyes closed and he fell asleep. He woke around six the next morning, still lying on the cement ground, to full daylight. He had spent the night outside and had no sensation of being cold, even though the temperature had dropped to 25° overnight. He was overjoyed.

I was at The Salvation Army building preparing coffee for the bell ringers when Joseph arrived, joyously singing praises, and told me of what had happened. Now he is living happily in Florida with the job he got.

The Lord will answer and meet your needs in times of crisis as he met the needs of Joseph that night in the freezing cold. He can answer your prayers, too.

“Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.” (Isa. 58:9). When you are in need and call Him, he can restore you according to the promise that he has given in scripture. “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD.” (Jer. 30:17) “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear.” (Isa. 58:8)

(This article was Published in Warren Sentinel on Dec 29, 2010 edition)