by Megan Risley

Created on: March 05, 2009

"Melvin The Highway Preacher"

And so it was this pastor -
your normal, average man -
began a prayer before a drive
and hopped into his van.

He hoped that God would gift him
with someone traveling, too -
a hitchhiker, perhaps -
so he could tell them all he knew

about this world we live in,
this beautiful Book, and all,
but mostly what he wanted was
to share the goodness of our God.

Sure enough, the first exist provided,
what the pastor took to be an answer
so he stopped and let in a true blue cowboy
who said, "Hi, I'm Melvin the Highway Preacher."

"Oh no," the pastor thought,
"What an irony," he sighed.
"I doubt I'm going to be able
to get a word in edgewise."

Melvin clearly knew and had rehearsed
the stories of the Scriptures,
but he didn't seem to be aware
that he was talking to a pastor!

And then he started to muse about
all God's plans that he saw coming,
the plots of the federal government
and wild conspiracies.

The pastor grew more concerned,
and hoped it was not too late -
he started praying to God for help
on how to set this poor fellow straight.

They pull into a gas station
with no answer yet to know.
The pastor makes up some excuse
that this is where he's got to go.

He mentions his thought to Melvin,
before they part their ways,
that he worries for him and
how very far he's gone astray.

He watches Melvin walk away,
then throws his hands up to the sky:
"God? That guy was so offbase
but you didn't answer...why?"

There was silence for a moment,
then this is what the pastor heard:
"That man was for me, not against me,
and didn't need 'a Word'"

from you or anyone else now,
but it's evident that you do:
He's doing for me what you wouldn't
even if I asked you to."

The pastor strats his drive again
stunned silent in his van,
you think he might have known better
but he's just your average man.

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