It was a beautiful spring morning, and I was driving home from I know not where when I saw her pass me in her car driving the opposite direction. I hadn't seen this woman in years, but I could never forget her face. That face had haunted me time and again, and I was convinced I would never see her again. I always look into oncoming cars as they go by, and I knew without a doubt that it was the same face. I had to act fast.
The street that we were on was a quiet residential area, so I pulled into a driveway and turned my car around to follow her. I caught up with her in no time because older ladies tend to drive slow, and, I confess, I drive faster that most. I settled in behind her and patiently followed her to whereever she was going. She could drive out to another city for all I cared. I wasn't about to leave off tailing her. I was on a mission, and I knew God had set this up for me. I had no intentions of blowing it.
The lady pulled into the parking lot of a nursing home. Aha! I thought. She's a volunteer here. That would be just like her. I parked my car a few cars away from her, and when she got out of her car I called to her. She stopped, smiled, and turned towards me. By this time I was so excited I wasn't sure I could say what I needed to say, but, I thought, here goes.
I am a tall woman, and she was no more than five feet. We must have looked a bit comical to passersby. "I'm sure you don't remember me," I began, "but you and I worked at Control Data. One day I was very sick with a headache and was resting on a cot in the nurses station. You came into the room and prayed for me. Do you remember that?"
No, she didn't remember that, but she did slightly remember my face. I continued.
"About five minutes after you prayed for me I felt much better. I was very embarrassed when you prayed for me there, and I had made fun of you before that for being a Christian. So I didn't hesitate to make fun of you again in this situation. I went back to my office and making sure everyone in the area heard me I shouted out mockingly, 'Praise the Lord and Hallelujah! I've been healed. She laid hands on me and I am healed!' Then I continued to tell the story and made sure we got a good laugh at your expense."
"First of all I want to tell you how very sorry I am. I was a nasty person back then, and I don't know if you knew what I had been doing or not, but I have to apologize to you now because God expects me to. You see, I have since accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior, and I have repented and turned from all that kind of behavior. Making fun of you was the same as making fun of Him, all because I was full of evil and pride. Please forgive me."
The two of us laughed and cried together, one with joy and forgiveness, the other with shame and regret. We hugged and hugged, and we continued to visit and cry and laugh for a few minutes. She forgave me lovingly. She didn't care what I had done. What was important was that I had been redeemed and was living in and loving the Lord.
It was an amazing encounter that lasted only a few minutes, but it was one of the most important days of my life. I never saw her again. But I will someday. I don't even remember her name. But we are sisters in Christ, and we will have eternity to get to know each other again, in love.
