I went to the Cottonwood Market today mostly just to walk around and look at art.
As I passed one of the booths, one of the vendors started talking with me and asked what I was looking for. I told her I really just enjoy walking through and seeing the artwork. She smiled and began showing me some of the pieces she had displayed. After a few minutes, she asked if I made art too.
So I showed her some of my work.
As we talked, I noticed she was wearing a necklace with Hebrew letters on it. I asked her about it, and she looked a little surprised.
“I’m impressed you noticed,” she said.
I told her it stood out to me because I recognized the Hebrew letters. That’s when her tone shifted. She shared that it’s been rough lately—that she’s seen Nazi swastikas showing up in public places. I told her I agreed. It’s not okay. It’s not cool. And it’s heartbreaking to see.
I shared something I genuinely believe: that the Jewish people are God’s chosen people. They were blessed to be a blessing.
She had a hard time with that, but it opened the door to a deeper conversation.
Israel, Elijah, and a mountain view
We started talking about Israel. She told me she had been there, and I told her I had too. I mentioned one of my favorite places—standing on top of Mount Carmel.
I asked if she remembered the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel.
She didn’t.
So I told it to her.
I shared how Israel had turned away from the Lord under King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, and how the prophet Elijah confronted that rebellion. Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a public test—one altar, one sacrifice, no fire allowed. The god who answered by fire would be shown to be the true God.
The prophets of Baal cried out all day. They danced. They cut themselves. Nothing happened.
Elijah prodded the false prophets. Perhaps Baal was busy or using the toilet?
Baal never responded.
Then Elijah rebuilt the altar of the Lord, soaked the sacrifice with water until it filled the trench around it, and prayed a simple prayer.
Fire fell from heaven.
It consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust, and even the water.
The people fell on their faces and declared, “The LORD, he is the God.”
After that, Elijah told Ahab to go eat and drink, because rain was coming. Elijah went up to pray, and soon after a few prayers, a small cloud appeared in the distance.
Then comes one of my favorite details.
Scripture says Elijah girded up his loins, and the hand of the Lord came upon him—and he ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to Jezreel.
I told her that when I stood on Mount Carmel myself, there was a compass pointing to Jezreel—about 17 miles away. I couldn’t see it way out there, but Elijah ran that entire distance faster than the king’s horses.
She stopped me and asked a great question.
“Why did he run faster? What was the point?”
I had to admit—I had never really thought about it. The Bible doesn’t say why. Maybe he was hungry after years of drought. Maybe he wanted to get home before the rain hit. Maybe it was simply the strength of the Lord on him, showing that God’s power didn’t stop at the fire.
I told her I didn’t know—but I loved that Scripture leaves room to wonder.
Isaiah 53, read out loud
Before we wrapped up, I asked her a question.
“Have you ever read Isaiah 53?”
She said no.
I asked if I could read it with her.
She said yes.
So right there, at a market booth, I read Isaiah 53 aloud to her from the King James Bible. I paused at important moments. I let the words sit.
When I finished, she looked at me and said, “That was really beautiful.”
Then I asked her, “Do you know who that’s about?”
She paused and said, “It’s about Jesus.”
I smiled and said, “Yep.”
And then I told her, “This was written for you.”
She hesitated and said, “I don’t know if that’s a good thing.”
I told her, “It is a good thing.”
Then she added, “I’m going to have to go back and re-read it.”
Isaiah 53 (King James Version)
(Full chapter retained exactly as requested)
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
A prayer request
If you would, please pray for this Jewish woman—that she would come to know Jesus.
Sometimes conversations start with art. Sometimes with a necklace. And sometimes, God opens a door you didn’t expect to walk through.