One night, a shoemaker named Conrad had a dream that the next day Jesus was coming to his humble shop. He got up early the next morning, and went to the woods to gather green boughs to decorate his shop, in order to receive so great a guest.

He waited all morning, and the only thing that happened was that an old man shuffled up, asking to rest. Conrad, the shoemaker, saw that his shoes were worn through, so he brought the man in. “I’ll give you a new pair”, he said, and he put on the old man’s feet the sturdiest shoes in the shop, before sending him on his way.

Experiencing Jesus Unawares

He waited through the afternoon, and the only happening was that an old woman under a heavy load of firewood came by. She was weary, and, out of compassion, Conrad brought her in and gave her some of the food he had prepared for Jesus. She ate heartily, for she was very hungry. And refreshed, she went on her way.

Then, as the shades of night began to fall, there came into his shop a lost child, crying bitterly. Conrad was annoyed because it was necessary to leave his shop in order to take the child home.

Returning, he was convinced that he had missed the Lord. Sadly, he lived through the moments as he had imagined them: the knock, the call, the latch pulled up, the lighted face, the offered cup. He would have kissed the hands where the nails had been, he would have washed the feet where the spikes had entered. Then the Lord would have sat with him, would have broken bread…………….

Conrad cried, “Why is it Lord, that your feet delay? Have you forgotten that this was the day?”

Then soft in the silence a voice he heard: “Lift up your heart, for I kept my word. Three times I came to your friendly door. Three times my shadow was on your floor. I was the beggar with the bruised feet. I was the woman you gave something to eat. I was the crying child on the street.”

The Humble King Still Comes Unexpectedly

Even now King Jesus comes to us in humble and unexpected ways. He is not like the kings of this world. He came as a baby born to a peasant family who only had the financial means to sacrifice two birds and not a lamb (Luke 2:22-24). He promises to be present where two or three are gathered in his name (Mathew 18:20). And when we offer a thirsty person a cup of cold water or visit someone in prison, in some hidden way, we do it as unto Christ as we are guided by His Spirit (Mathew 25:31-46).

Let us pray to the Lord to make us sensitive to the different ways that He may be knocking on the doors of our heart this Advent Season. He may have some unexpected and wonderful ways He wants us to be the channels of His mercy, compassion and peace to a needy world. There may also be some surprising ways He may want to meet our own needs this Christmas season.

QOTD: How have you experienced King Jesus in unexpected and surprising ways?