So, the other night my roommate and I went to visit his mother at the nursing home where she lives, like we do every Tuesday. We take Access-a-Ride, the city’s wheelchair-accessible transportation (busses are tricky to maneuver, and only certain subway stations have elevators).  Often, the ride to the nursing home is uneventful and usually quick, only about 45 minutes or so. The ride home, however, is a toss-up. Our pickup home occurs doing rush hour, and we usually have other pickups. However, when we pray for a quick ride home, we usually get it.

This time around, we were both feeling sick and stressed. And so, we prayed – fervently – for a quick trip home. It was not to be. It took us over 2 hours to get home. At first I was frustrated – I should have known Jesus does everything for a reason!

During the ride, the driver was playing really aggressive rap music, which alternated between being incredibly violent or incredibly sexual. On a whim, and since I was clearly going nowhere fast, during a violent song I prayed (silently) against the spirit of anger in the van. I was staring right at the radio when I prayed, so if the driver had touched it I would’ve seen. He didn’t, but sure enough the volume on the radio cut out and the song was (temporarily) muted. And no, we weren’t going through a tunnel or under a bridge either. Encouraged by that, I kept praying against anger and praying for peace over everyone who would either drive or ride in that vehicle. I felt God in it and even the carsickness which I’d felt beginning seemed to subside while I prayed.

Then the song switched to a sexual one. Again, following a whim, and since I had about finished praying for peace, I prayed against the spirit of lust. Again, the driver did not touch the radio, nor were we driving near anything that would mess up the signal. Yet again, the volume cut out.

I thought that was pretty cool, but God wasn’t quite done yet. We picked up several more people on the way home, and at one point we picked up a girl who was in her late 20’s. She looked pretty innocuous and I didn’t pay her much attention. Still, the ride dragged on, and my carsickness was starting to kick in, so I figured I’d pass the time with some worship (very quiet worship). So I’m sitting behind this girl, singing worship songs, and worship turns to prayer. For her. And I wasn’t sure why, but God usually knows these things, so I went with it. I pray for her, starting with generic stuff – peace and love and blessings, and suddenly it started to turn intercessory. I kept hearing God tell me that this girl was walking in darkness and she needed prayer. It was actually a bit annoying, because as soon as I started praying for her, I suddenly got so sick and nauseous that I had tears in my eyes. All I wanted to do was get home, and I even told Jesus, but He reminded me I had a job to do. So I kept praying for her, but I was also laughing at myself because this girl would probably turn out to be perfectly lovely and here I am combating darkness on her behalf. Then she spoke. And she wasn’t rude or insulting; she was dead. Her voice and tone and body language was completely lifeless. She spoke as if the rest of us passengers didn’t exist. She spoke like a person who was walking in darkness. And here I was behind her, praying for her the whole time.

My prayers were all essentially silent, and nothing profound happened. It was just humbling to be used that way. And it was so cool to see how something completely random in the natural world – a driver making his pickups, my bus being the same bus that picks up this girl – could be so ordained and connected in the spiritual realm. I mean, how cool is that? God moves in the most amazing ways. I’m so happy to serve such a mighty, powerful, and attentive God!!!!

Now, I want to hear how God is moving in your life! And I want to pray for you. Yup, that’s right – you! So write to me at being.rebekah.a@gmail.com. God bless!

~Rebekah A