For many years I took students on a trip to a conference in Lakeland, Florida during the week between Christmas and New Year. Sometimes we travelled in two large vans, sometimes in a big bus.

 

One year in October, as I was planning this trip, I received one of the periodic newsletters from an older Bible scholar named John Bray, who had written some articles and books on subjects that interested me. What really got my attention in this newsletter was that it included a photo of him and mentioned that he attended First Baptist Church in Lakeland, Florida! I wondered if maybe I could somehow arrange to meet him when I would be in Lakeland (at a different church) for the Conference.

 

Since he was a published author of some fame and I, comparatively, felt like a “nobody”’, I didn’t think it would be appropriate for me to write to him directly. But I still hoped to meet him somehow, perhaps at his church on the Sunday during the Conference. The first obstacle to that was that we were going on a bus that year, so on Sunday I would need to go to whatever church the driver was going. But the bus broke down shortly after we left State College, so we ended up driving two vans instead, and I could go anywhere I wanted to church!

 

When I arrived at the church that Sunday, I found that it was a huge church, meeting in an old shopping mall, with 3000 people attending one of three weekly services! I asked at the Information Desk if they knew John Bray. They did, but had no idea if he would be there, reminding me that it was a holiday weekend and many people travel then.

 

So, before each service I tried to watch the many entrances to the big worship room, looking for John Bray. Not seeing him, I went in myself to the last worship service and sat down at the end of a row. I took a moment to pray like this- “Lord, you know my heart and my desire to meet this man if he is here. It seems it would be so sad if he is here and I would randomly miss him somehow. But I trust you and want your will, whatever that may be.”

 

Well, at this church, like most, there was an opening song for which everyone stood, and after the song the people were encouraged to greet someone nearby before sitting down again. I turned around to greet the people behind me, and when I turned back, I found a small, older man standing in the aisle with his hand stretched out to greet me. I immediately recognized him as John Bray! I quickly told him that I had been hoping to meet him and asked if we could talk a little after the service.

 

I sat back down, in awe of the Lord’s goodness to me. After the worship service I also met his wife, and they accepted my offer to buy them lunch so that we could talk more. I had a delightful time with them at their favorite restaurant. I also learned that John had very bad arthritis, so it was hard for him to get up when seated. So in the church worship service he did not stand when everyone else did, except when that invitation was given to greet someone. As a member of that church he felt it was his responsibility to greet newcomers. He was seated on the aisle a few rows ahead of me, had turned around and saw me, and had hobbled back to greet only me!

​