In a fog of fatigue and uncertainty Steven sits, waiting for his plane to arrive. Looking around, no one stands out as marked, someone he is destined to talk to, a divine appointment. Everyone is tired; tired of waiting, tired of delays. Steven considers trying to get a little sleep. Would they wake him when the plane came? Probably, but he is still too restless.
Too many thoughts churn from his meeting with the veteran. Who had he been? Angel, spirit guide, his dead grandfather or just some eccentric. And what about the prophesies the veteran made? That Steven would be taken to perfectly preserved scrolls of the old testament to make a perfect English translation. Nonsense, surely. But what of the references to Satan held up in a mosque, just as Steven had been impressed the day before. The man said he had just gotten back from that confrontation. That would be a strange coincidence. Steven pulls out his bible to read another chapter, but the words dance on the page and their meaning doesn’t take hold in his mind. His eyes close and his head bobs in a semi sleep.
Finally the little plane arrives and the weary travelers stiffly arise to pack into a small jet. Despite his weariness, Steven feels a familiar excitement. He likes flying in little planes. Their motions are so much more dynamic; quick take offs, sharp banking turns. He even has a window seat, those being far superior. On this flight, however, the advantage of the window seat was of little scenic value once the plane was up, since it was pitch black in between the patches of city lights. Relaxing in the isle seat beside Steven is an amiable looking man with dark tousled hair.
“I’m headed home. How about you?” says the smiling stranger. From the subtle laugh lines around his Kind brown eyes Steven guesses that the man is around thirty like himself.
“Heading to a conference.”
“On business?” isle seat guy asks clicking his seat belt.
“No, not business, though I did find out about it at work and my CFO thought I should go.” Steven hesitates to divulge that the conference is about prophecy. “It’s a Christian conference” he concedes.
“Oh, cool” says the traveler, his eyes lighting up with interest. ”I’m a Christian too. Name’s Jason” he says offering a strong right grip.
“Steven”
“So where is the Conference being held?”
“Christ community church or something like that, in… Shippensburg. I don’t really know too much about it. In fact, I didn’t even know about the conference two days ago.” Steven says, excited by the strong leading of the holy spirit which so lately has brought him to this happy quest; A journey to the center of God’s will and purpose for his life.
“Who are the speakers?” Jason asks with evident interest.
Steven snaps out of his exultation. “Oh, I really didn’t catch the names. It was recommended by a pastor at my church. He’s friends with one of the guys, a Jamie something. I remember he mentioned something about a Toronto blessing and Lakeland revival.”
Jason cringes.” I’ve heard of the Lakeland revival over in Florida.”
“Something funny about it?”
“Well it’s really over the top Pentecostal, crowds breaking out in laughing fits and calling like animals, very chaotic stuff.” He says disapprovingly.
“That does sound a little strange. I don’t know if someone from that revival is going to be speaking there, but the pastor described it as part of a large scale global spiritual awakening that is going on all over the world.” Steven says, wondering about his own place in a global movement of the Holy Spirit.
“I haven’t heard as much about the Toronto blessing. From what I recall it sounds like some sort of healing thing.” he adds skeptically.
Some of Jason’s wariness is contagious. “Well, maybe some of this stuff is legit. I appreciate you giving me the heads up on the Florida thing. I really jumped into this without knowing much about the speakers or the movement.” Steven admits. “I’ve been having my own personal revival and I think there’s a chance it might fit into some larger out pouring of the Holy Spirit. I feel like I’m caught in a current and I’m trying to follow its flow.”
