Back Roads in God’s Kingdom

A comedian once said that people have the silly impression that the glass in cars somehow shields us from others seeing in. He wonders how could we think we were hidden by such a transparent material when it is so obvious that if we can see out certainly others can see in! It is so true! When I think about the things I’ve done “behind the windshield,” it just makes me burst out in fits of laughter! I’m quite sure that no other woman has perfected the art of the 5-minute make-up fix in the overhead mirror the way that I have. But, I’m really talking about time with God —praise, worship, and prayer kinds of things–hands waving, arms outstretched, heart totally revealed to God from the driver’s seat and hurtling toward destinations of His choosing. I think you get the picture. Glass is a two-way material.
Prophetic intercession is more than just walking places and proclaiming in English things that WE think God wants us to proclaim for Him. The majority of the time I have spent in prophetic intercession was behind the wheel of my Suzuki XL7, totally immersed in speaking in tongues, following His directions, without knowing where or why I was being sent–only that He was sending me. The things that are seen through that glass!
Now, I don’t want you to think that these “prayer rides” happen on a whim. Many times, the Lord will begin revealing certain issues months before a prayer ride actually takes place. The revelations determine a general course of a large ride. It is almost like a jigsaw puzzle. You can see how certain pieces fit together, but–well, God sometimes removes the box lid before He dumps the pieces out. That’s where faith comes in–and trust. You can’t always see the bigger picture. He teaches you to trust Him with the big things in life by starting with the smaller pieces. He reveals what you need to know, when you need to know it–and I’m not just talking about prayer rides here. It is the space between the beginning and the end that are filled with His surprises and delight–and His blessings.
One time, while in Bessemer, AL, I rode by a little storefront. It was in a seemingly forgotten part of town, and truthfully, looked like a junk store. The Lord said to go in there. So, always up for an adventure with Him, I parked and walked in. As I looked around, trying to figure out why I might be in there, I saw a most pleasant woman sitting at her desk. A prayer request box was sitting on the desk. That sparked a conversation during which it came out that she was a pastor. She didn’t have an appointed church, she said, but the Lord led me to tell her that this store* was her church. We talked about how every customer that came through those doors would be ministered to by her sweet spirit and willing heart to help those who were hurting. A wonderful prayer and blessing followed. She gave me a candle that I still have. One day, we’ll see each other again. What a report I hope to hear–whether here on earth or in Heaven!
Another story that cannot be overlooked here was in a section of NW Alabama that the Lord sent me through. Two counties and countless cow pastures; towns that didn’t even have a red light, where no car passed me in either direction on those beautiful country backroads. Six months later, a dear pastor friend and a life mentor of mine sent me a random email to let me know what she had been up to. She mentioned, casually, that she was conducting a revival in the very small town of Valley, AL, that had been at the heart of the two county ride six months earlier. Needless to say, I attended the revival and what an awesome time the Lord gave. Along with a small restaurant, Canada’s Homestyle Cafe, at exit 77 on I-85, we had some good food that trip–spiritual and natural! You never know how God is going to thread things together! Next time you and your family are through there, stop by and tell Miss Velma that Iris sent you. You will be blessed by her loving heart and her gracious hospitality. After a down home meal, you might need to take a nap before you get back on the road!
It is true that my tires have traveled through many cities and across many miles–50,000+ in one year. Those were some incredible trips. When you travel for God, you are listening to His directions true; but it’s His nature that is to be your guide. He seeks to spread His love. That’s the main purpose of a prayer ride–spreading His love into places, and sometimes the lives of people, who just need a touch. He can do that through us when we surrender our limited understanding of how He can use us. He can speak from behind that glass through our praise and worship, our spirit prayers, or His proclamations through our lips. Those trips transform the lives of not only those people whose cities we ride through but also our own. His revealed power and glory in the lives of others bring us to a new understanding of who He is to US; and more importantly, who we are to Him. A new place that we all need to come to understand –a place of transparent existence in Him, for those looking out and in. And, after all, isn’t that where THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD?
Rosie’s Unique Place, 527 19th Street North, Bessemer, AL 35020.