Hi everyone,
As I was praying today, I couldn’t get away from the idea that this is prime time to be sharing our faith. This does not need to be a scary thing. For believers who have encountered the love, forgiveness, and the transforming power of God in our lives, sharing our stories should come quite naturally. 1 Peter 3:15 encourages us to be prepared to “give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with all gentleness and respect.”
Has your life been changed as a result of meeting Jesus and committing your life to Him? Have you experienced His forgiveness, acceptance, answered prayer and seen His hand moving in your life? People want to talk about Jesus. People want to see and hear authentic accounts of what God has done for you. People may not want to be “preached at”. But they really do want to hear the good news of Jesus, and what he has done for them. Just like Peter cautions us here, we should always share our story with gentleness and respect. People are at different stages and some may be more receptive than others. Even Jesus encountered people at different stages of receptivity. The rich young ruler asked Jesus “what must I do to be saved?” Jesus spoke to him, sussing out what he knew and where he was up to in his spiritual journey. Then he challenged him to “go and sell all you have and give it to the poor”. He was able to put his finger right on where the young man was up to. Then we see Jesus encounter with Nicodemus, the woman caught in adultery, the woman at the well, and Zaccheus. So many lives changed as they were confronted with the words of Jesus.
Just remember, it is not you or I that “saves” a person‟s soul. That is the job of the Holy Spirit. But it is our job to “sow the seed”. For some, they will hear and respond to the gospel readily and with joy. For others, like the rich young ruler, they may walk away sad because they are not ready to give up their lives or accept the demands of the Gospel. There may be people we know who we think would never be interested or may seem so far away from God. But remember what Jesus said about this young man. “What is impossible for men is possible with God.” This gives us great hope that as we continue to pray for our family and friends, the Holy Spirit will bring them to the point where they are ready to receive.
So who are you going to pray for and believe for this week? Trust that God will bring you opportunities to share His love and give you the right words to say as you tell others about God’s wonderful, forgiving love.
Glenda