Bringing the Lord to a Lord

I attended a book launch last night at the Hilton hotel in Euston. I don't live the 'high life' in a worldly sense - this was a first for me - so I was very interested to see how things would go.

I was there by association rather than merit, as my wife works for the author's son. The book itself seems interesting, and I was happy to receive a signed copy prior to the event. It is called The Economics of Killing by Vijay Mehta, and it links globalization with the pursuit of military conflict, indicting the West as an entity fuelled by neo-colonialist ambition. But, I am not a literary critic, so I was purely there by invitation and to observe all the goings on to fuel my reserves of information as a minister.

I was interested to see Lord Frank Judd present, taking time out of his busy schedule to stamp his approval. I was waiting in the lobby as he entered, and was completely oblivious to the hunched-over old man that trundled in with suitcase in tow. He had to leave early to catch a train back to his home in the North, and I thought I might take the opportunity to share Christ with him. I gave him some time to reach the exit and then sprang out of my seat, hot in pursuit of an interesting witness.

I caught him on the stairs and offered help to carry his suitcase down, asking if I could walk with him. As we walked he turned to me and said "...and who are you?" I mentioned my tenuous connection, and then asked him if when he passed away he thought Heaven would be his home. He seemed shocked by the proposition and asked me to repeat myself; I repeated again, did he think he would make Heaven? He told me that he was hard of hearing, and asked me to write to him at the House of Lords with whatever I was proposing. I asked him if the letter would reach him and he assured me it would. He said that I had better get back to the event as that is what I had come for, and since he was rushing for a train I thought it best not to harass him any further but to take him up on his offer.

Amazing how he had heard everything I had said - up until I challenged him on eternity. It was as if he simply couldn't hear what I was saying. I have witnessed that when deaf ears are prayed for. Everything can be heard except 'the blood of Jesus' - it is as if there is some spiritual force shutting the person off to the words that have the power to deliver them - and by the Bible's description of spirits of infirmity, we know that to be true.

I will be writing that letter to Lord Judd today, praying over it and sending it post-haste. It will be as clear as day and no train to catch or selective hearing will stop him from enjoying the full blessing of the Good News.