In essence, my devotional said my reluctance to witness was rooted in unbelief. I tried to ignore that, but the Lord kept it stirring in my mind. Was it true? Did I fail to speak up because what if I prayed and they weren’t healed? Or what if they ridiculed my beliefs or asked questions I wasn’t prepared to answer? My reasons were endless-and full of unbelief!
Didn’t the Lord promise to be with me always? Didn’t He say He would give me the words I needed when the time came, just as He said to Moses in Exodus 4:12? “I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” Didn’t He say it was His kindness (spoken gently and lovingly through His children) that would lead people to repentance? Didn’t Jesus say the Holy Spirit is the one who convicts people of sin and righteousness? That truth, the Word of God, is what sets people free?
I truly want my roots settled in believing that God would do what He promised, so I prayed and asked for divine appointments. That day a man came to inspect our newly installed furnace. He was talkative, said he had done furnace work for years and had missed much of his children’s and grandchildren’s lives. He said he was 77 and people he knew that were younger than him were dying and he wanted to make a change.
Without hesitation (which amazes me, looking back) I said, “And where are you going after you die?” His mouth fell open. After a moment he said. “To heaven.” I said, “how do you know that?” I could see he was thinking about it. “Because I love Jesus and He is my Lord,” he said. I gave him a thumbs up. “Good for you,” I said.
After that we had the best time talking about the Lord. He couldn’t get over that I had questioned him and followed up with the “how?” He was so delighted, he stayed and talked to my husband and me, even asked if he could come see us again sometime!
My most precious memory of this encounter is that it was totally and wholly God. He made it so easy for me to challenge someone’s beliefs. The conversation flowed as naturally as asking about the weather or plans for the day. I was in awe of the Lord’ grace and thrilled at being used to bless that man.
The next morning I asked for more divine appointments and then came thoughts of “but what would you have said if he wasn’t already child of God?” The temptation to list (I write all kinds of lists and notes to myself) all I would have to be sure to say if that happened, came to me. Immediately, I felt a check in my spirit. It would be God who would give me what to say, my job was to know Him and His word, He would take care of the rest.
” (You) shall take root downward and bear fruit upward.” Isaiah 37:31 NKJV