Praise the LORD!

I have three stories to tell for which I praise the LORD!

The first story is continued out from a blog post titled, "The Hearer's Destruction?" In that post I shared a bit about my best friend -- a confessing atheist -- and her son.

You won't believe this...!

Nothing has changed in this many years, till last Friday morning. She called me and began saying, "I never thought I'd be telling you this." She explained that her (now ten year old son) has been persistent lately in asking his atheist mother questions about Jesus Christ and salvation. He said to her (from my recollection): "Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he died on the cross for my sins. That's how I know I am going to heaven. Mom, are you going to heaven?"

So, being a former AWANA clubber in her childhood herself, my friend, his mother, began to answer some of his questions. There's only so much she can tell him. He wants to know more. He keeps making inquiries about Noah's Ark and what it means to be God's Son. My friend chose me (and not an alternate Christian friend in her life), to begin to take her son to church, to AWANA, starting next week. I can't even believe that she wants her son to go to church, at all! I am floored!

....

A few months ago, Kevin (the administrator of the blog titled "On My Walk") and I had a lengthy and interesting discussion. We discussed how we keep a manner of grace while encouraging obedience.

In the beginning of our conversation I shared with Kevin another personal story from my experiences - a neighbor who might have been offended by the political sign sticking in my lawn. I want to share an amazing update. As I write this she has repented of her alternative lifestyle of several years, she told me mid-December. This woman could have chosen from four Christian families on my street, to begin finding encouragement in her newly devoted walk with Christ, including the pastor of a local baptist church; but, she chose me. Now I take her to church all the time and have her in my home.

At times it is humbling, to commune with a child of God who has seen tough days in battle with Satan. A couple of nights ago I dropped off some groceries for her in an unexpected visit. I felt tension on her part perhaps because she knows I might judge her for other things she still does wrong? But I refuse to throw the book at her. It's not that I put off saying the truth, or her obedience to it. It's simply that I know she must be encouraged to remain in His love and there, in His presence, His correction is loving and gentle. He will lead her toward a greater faith. Obedience often follows with it. I play a small part; a compliment to her discovery and conformity to the truth.

It doesn't really matter what her sins were or are because any sin poses a threat in some way or another, to the human eye. Am I afraid to have her in my home? No, but I'm always cautious (there is a difference). Why am I not afraid? Because I know that God is with me. Paradoxically, I am on lookout for God to minister to me through the newly repentant. Isn't that the way it should be? Matt. 18:3

"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

She is the one who calls me on the phone every day, to read a daily devotional.

We both were ministered for an identical need. She read this [1]:

Then Asa... said, "LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty." (2 Chronicles 14:11)

Remind God of his exclusive responsibility: "There is no one like you to help." It may be that your difficulties have come to such an alarming level that you may be compelled to refuse all human help. In lesser trials, you may have had that recourse, but now you must cast yourself on your almighty Friend. Put God between yourself and the enemy.

Asa, realizing his lack of strength, saw Jehovah as standing between the might of Zerah and himself. And he was not mistaken. We are told that the Cushites "were crushed before the LORD and his forces" (vs 13).

Readers, this is the kind of faith I desire to place in Christ when I deal with the unlovelies, even the dangerous ones.

....

On December 26th my family was by tradition, late to appear for the celebration. My brother-in-law, whom people have been praying for in the last seven years, saw me reading my bible when I finally sat down from dinner prep. He began by mocking the good book, but then confessed that he has found faith in God recently. Me? I have been released from ministering to him or even interacting to him by and large since he came on to me twice, last Spring. The last spiritual thing I said to him was, "What you need is to put your faith in Christ, brother." He replied, "I don't think so. Me and God, we have a special arrangement."

It so turns out that a long time friend of his has reconnected into his life. My brother-in-law's current marriage difficulties has caused him to want to pray, and this old friend of his is a youth pastor. During our conversation with my bible before me, my brother-in-law took out his cell phone and pulled up an old voice mail message of the youth pastor's prayer for him and his failing marriage. It was an amazing prayer, for things I hadn't even been asking God for anymore. Why did I stop??

Where was I? I had given up on him. I was blinded in my offense at what he had done against me, so, I wasn't praying for him and I wasn't burdened for him anymore. And that was the very moment when he confessed (and I certainly pressed for him to explain what he knew), "Yes, I know what Jesus did for me. He died on the cross for my sins, so that I could go to heaven."

Again, I am floored. Is not the most amazing God-thing happening inside the one who we think will never come around? Who seems impossible to reach for repentance? Who has just done too horrible of a thing? I think so.

I'm not the most fervent prayer. I have a feeling that my readers are probably quite devoted to prayer -- thank you so very much. I don't always share my faith, I'm not always gracious. Sometimes I give up on people when I shouldn't. I just want to praise God for what he is doing in the lives around me. My passion is stirred, my vision is refocusing. I love Him and I believe in Him to do that which feels impossible, things which has gone unanswered for even years at a go.

Jesus Christ's compassions fail not (lam 3:22)!



[1] Cowman, L. B. "Streams in the Desert," edited by Jim Reimann, 1997. Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI. pp. 18-19.