There's this guy...

There's this guy in the prayer room I keep seeing. He's kinda a non descript kinda guy. Nothing special that he should stand out from anyone else. Except for the fact that I've seen him before.

I've seen him here over the last 4 years I've been coming to visit IHOP. And I've seen him here fairly regularly during the last 6 weeks as he comes to the prayer room the same time I do, every evening. Then I see him in church during the fri/sat/sun services. And a few things have stood out to me.

It may seem like I'm stalking him but rather he has caught my attention and is causing me to ask some questions.

1. Why is he always alone?

I've never seen him sit with anyone in the prayer room. I've never seen him with any kids.

2. Is he single?

He doesn't wear a wedding ring so I'm assuming he's single. He's like maybe mid 40's american-asian average guy.

3. Is he on staff?

Usually the people here who are on full time staff are seen as "missionaries". There's various positions between involvement with the university, teaching courses, leading worship and being a full time intercessor in the prayer room. But you know they are on staff because they are required to wear their "staff" badges while in the prayer room. As accountability I assume.

No badge. Ever.

4. He's here every night. Praying. Worshipping.

Why? Doesn't he have a life?

So this is the conclusion I have drawn about my mysterious stranger. I think he has a day job and has a fairly mundane routine life. I think he spends his evenings and weekends praying in the prayer room. And I think he is happy. I think he enjoys this life.

It may sound weird to you that someone would sincerely choose this lifestyle in this day and age. To live a regular life in the working world and spend their "free time" in the house of the lord.

There's a very small mention only once, of this lady in the bible who happened to be one in the temple who called the baby Jesus "the redemption of Israel" when he was presented to the priests per custom.

the actual scripture is Luke 2:36-37

"And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel,
of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having
lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin,
and then as a widow until she was eight-four. She did not
depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer
night and day.

So my assumptions from this verse is that when she lived with her husband she did not live in the temple. She probably got married at 16 years (at the latest) so was widowed at 23 ish. And then lived the rest of her days in the temple. 60 ish years of living in the temple worshiping and praying night and day. No kids as her heritage. No wealth to donate to charity. What exactly did she contribute to "society" so much so that she even made it into the bible?

Brings me back to my stranger. Should we feel sorry for him that he "doesn't have a life" and thus chooses to live this lifestyle. Or should we marvel at him that he CHOOSES to have this lifestyle and therefore ...doesn't have a life. Or much of a life in this world. Maybe an amazing life in God. And maybe 30-40 more years of this sort of life "living in the temple worshiping and praying night and day"

He fascinates me. And I'd like to ask him so I know.

Why? why do you do this?

and then I think... I'll write a book about all these insignificant ones whose names are only known to the king of creation.

wouldn't you love to read it?

Rhonda