unexpected convo

He was there
I walked past the first time, merely glancing...and as I realised the washroom was on the other end, i went across again. This time, I was pretty sure. I wrote a verse down, slipped it into my pocket, decided i would regret if i didn't so i went forward.

"Do you remember me?"
A shake....oh! He realised, but doesn't recognise me.
As far back as I can recall, we've not had a proper conversation. The last time I saw him was probably 4 years ago. He was singing "You are awesome in this place"

Randomly spotting him on a sunday, at someplace not too close to his house was quite out of the blue. Since the last things I heard about him was that he was not doing too well, I felt it was necessary that I bring God into our conversation.

He hasn't been going to church but we started talking about church, the function of churches and he asked how my church was like. I think I knew it at the back of my head, but have never put it out. Truth is, not too many people care about our church. I said something about us students being in a stage of transition. He didn't really say too much except that christians should be more concerned and our faith must be everything, not just a part. Well, the thing is, he's been to many different churches, and claims that many of them are not true believers. From there, he asked me how i was sure that i'm a christian.

It's one of the most basic questions that a christian should be able to answer. I shared a little of what God taught me this year (sort of like a testimony), mentioned 1 John, but then I didn't bring up any specific verses. I've been through sermons and books on this topic but it just seems like the moment I don't remind myself, I simply forget.

He told me because of how he has been through all the pain and because he could very well never rise again from the surgical bed, he had to ask those questions- the questions that are really most important in life.

Have I really tried answering them?

I started crying, not really because of what he said but rather, because I felt like I had been trying very hard for the past few weeks. Trying to walk in the light and not in the darkness, trying to love when i do not love, trying to do right instead of wrong; trying, but failing.

I think he was shocked by my reaction. He must have felt that I was just another "christian". It shouldn't be so.

We went through quite a number of things. One was the reason he stopped attending church or any other fellowship. When he was in deep need for support and care from brothers and sisters, he didn't get it. He is also skeptical about discussions relating to the God's word. He quoted me Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

He has searched hard for the answers, sometimes not by choice but by circumstance. It may be the reason why he's so cynical about life, but whatever it is, we can and should take heart that we have a real cause of hope and of joy by the power of the Cross.