Some time ago I had to drop my dad at the bus stop. (Initially, he would have departed three days later, but his return was moved up). Slowly I drove along the R44 back home. Our town is lovely on a summer’s morning and there was little traffic on the road. From a distance I saw a man in a bright greenish-yellow jacket coming towards me. He was walking fairly briskly and I could see he was walking with intent. Driving past him I saw a blue flag sticking out of his backpack.

Into my mind drifted a faint memory of an e-mail that I had received months ago from someone who shared a piece of his life with me. A man who on retirement had started walking for health reasons and later on kept walking to collect money for people in need.

I don’t know why, but suddenly I wondered if it was the same man. As I waited at the traffic lights, I looked back, but he was already too far away. When the light turned green, I simply turned left and left again and stopped at a pedestrian crossing on the R44.

“What are you doing?” I asked myself out loud. “But what if it’s that man walking for people in need?” “What if it’s not him?” the questions ran through my head. Before finding an answer, I stopped the man in the yellow-green jacket with: “Sorry are you the man who’s walking?”

Duh, what kind of question is that?  I tried to swallow my tongue, but well, I’ve already made a fool of myself.

Yes, he said. I started walking in Port Elizabeth and I’m on my way to Langebaan.

I’m speechless.

What’s the possibility of me driving on the R44 at 05:15? What’s the possibility of him walking on the side of the road at the exact same time? What’s the possibility of me remembering the e-mail and making the connection? Albert Einstein once said: “Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.”

I introduced myself. He said that before he had started walking that morning he had again read his Crossroad message for the day.

For a moment we marvelled at the coincidence.

We talked a bit and he told me how he walked 60 kilometres per day and that every day there came a time that he struggled, but he said that every day God sent people to him.

I didn’t really know what to say, but in me was a desire to bless him in the Name of the Lord.

As he and I stood there on the sidewalk, with train commuters brushing past us on their way to work, I asked God to shower his blessings over Inus, that God’s grace would accompany him everywhere he went, and that the Holy Spirit would never leave him.

We said goodbye and driving home, I knew that this had been a divine meeting. I walked into the house and said to my wife: “God is real. Check this story …”

And this morning, a day later, I consider Paul’s last words in his letter to the Corinthians and what does he do? He proclaims God’s blessing over the people of Corinth!

This morning, I want to say it to you as well: 14 The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you. Amen.

Learn this verse by heart and proclaim our God’s blessing over all the people that God sends to you. So many need it! Cover them in the divine blanket of Jesus’ goodness, God’s love and the Holy Spirit’s proximity.

The world will be different. Check it out!

2 Corinthians 13:11-14

Reflection

Do you believe in God’s blessing?

Do you know that you can proclaim it over others?

Who can you bless?

Prayer

Lord, You are mighty. You know who needs your blessing right now. You know which people I will walk past today. Please help me to see them and to recognise your holy appointments. May you cover me in boldness so that I can bless them in your Name. Amen