Was That an Angel?

June 27, 2025June 19, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

“Be ready with a meal or a bed when it’s needed.” The writer of Hebrews encourages us to show hospitality. “Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it!” (Heb. 13:2)

Many years ago, I was the best man at a friend’s wedding. I’m sure there were many better men than me there, but that was the title and role I was asked to serve. Having a small amount of authority at the event, it was brought to my attention that a man was seen stuffing cake into a napkin and placing it inside his pocket. I approached the gentleman and started the interrogation. “Friend of the bride or groom?” I asked. The man put his head down and said he would leave quietly.

As I convinced him he was okay to stay, I soon learned he was homeless and hungry. The wedding and reception were ending, and I asked him to stay put while I completed my duties. He did.

I told him he could spend the night in my apartment. On the way there, we stopped at a Burger King. He ate as if it was his first time eating in months, and perhaps it was for a hot meal. After getting home, I realized he needed his clothes washed and a shower. I offered both to him, and he accepted. Then I found out that those were his only clothes, so we went into my closet, and he picked out a shirt and a pair of pants. The only problem was he was much taller than me. So, after he went to bed, I let out the hem as much as possible.

I slept on the sofa, and the next morning, I fixed him a hearty breakfast and packed a lunch. I invited him to my church, but instead, he asked to be dropped off in town. I did. Later, I started crying as Matthew 25:36 came flooding into my mind.

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,

Ever since that night, I have wondered if I indeed entertained an angel. Never once did I fear for my life while that man was in my presence. Instead, I felt good for helping someone in need.

Being able to help someone with resources means living within your means. That way, you can meet someone else’s needs. One of the reasons April and I got the upstairs of our home remodeled was so we could offer a safe, warm place to one who needs to feel full, comfortable, and secure.

What Day is This?

June 12, 2020June 12, 2020 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

061220 I notice patterns. I also see common denominators. I can’t help it. It’s the way I am made. I think I could have that disorder: Denoterns. Anyway, perhaps many others have it as well, but I have noticed several times in the Bible where it took three days to change someone, or something.

Take Jonah. God gave him direct instructions to go to Nineveh and share whatever message God told him to. I think Jonah took it upon himself to judge the people there, and he boarded a ship going the opposite direction. Perhaps his heart was full of hurt he associated with the people there and he wanted God to wipe them off the map. You can read the whole story for yourself in the book of Jonah in the Bible, but after he was thrown overboard and spending three days in the stomach of a great fish, his heart changed.

Three days!

There are many other instances whether they journeyed, stayed or not ate for three days. Three days can seem like eternity when you are hungry, thirsty, hurting, or desperate for an answer from God.

Jesus in the tomb is probably the most famous story of a three day ordeal in the Bible, but after his third day, anyone in the world can have their wrong doing forgiven, just by accepting Jesus.

On a personal note, three days after my wife gave up on hoping, asking, and believing God to send her a husband I sent her a message. On the fourth day, her life changed. It seems as if it takes three days to work out the flesh. In other words, it takes that long to realize that when your situation changes it wasn’t you, but had to be God.

I don’t like going through a three day ordeal, but I hang on, because I love the fourth day.

If you are going through something, and you have turned it over to God, realizing you can’t do anything about it otherwise, then know this; your forth day is coming!

CONFESSION: I made up the disorder Denoterns.

Because He Went Looking

May 1, 2020May 25, 2020 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

050120 4 I had a conversation with one of my neighbors today. He conveyed a story of one of his, and his wife’s travels back to the U.S. from Uganda. He shared how the plane developed some trouble and they landed safely in the middle of the night un-expectantly.

After a few hours of mass confusion and people cutting to get in front of him and his wife, they finally got to their hotel room the airlines placed them in. Ironically, by being one of the last to be taken care of, they found themselves in a five star hotel, and in a plush room. The airlines does not give out the expensive rooms first!

“Here it is again, the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first.” (Mat. 20:16 MSG)

But my neighbor’s story got even better. They expected to have reached their destination, instead they found themselves delayed, and hungry. He said he set out to find some food. When he went back to the main floor of the hotel, he found in a room an impressive spread of food.

The next day they got word the plane was ready. While in line boarding, a passenger who had spent the night at the same hotel he was at, mentioned how they starved, and how she had to beg a maid for some crackers. The difference? My neighbor went looking.

You may be delayed in life, and not sure what the problem is. You may even be hungry, not for food, but for something that truly satisfies. I write about it a lot in this blog, but knowing God better than anyone else does satisfy. God is so loving, funny, comforting, and caring. You won’t be able to understand my claims unless you go looking for him. But the truth is this, God has already found you.

Right there where you are, you can make his acquaintance by recognizing Jesus is his Son, realizing he died on a cross to forgive you of your mistakes, and then inviting him into your life. Afterwards, hang out with God. Talk to him like he is right beside you, because he is. A good way of getting to know God is to read the Bible. I suggest a translation to start with like, “The Message” or “The Passion Translation”.

brady, mark a.

Words to inspire you

hungry