Spiritual Lessons
A Witness
I
swiveled in my chair to watch as she stepped out the door and
confidently walked down the brick steps. I watched her leave the
office and my heart grieved for her lost soul and it yearned for her
salvation. I almost cried right there in the office it was so
strong. God is reaching out to her through me and it hurts.
And He isn't reaching through me because I'm this special,
usable tool, but because He lives in me and yearns for her soul, and
when He is presented before her, He reaches out. I simply am
the container of the Love. Love reaches out in pure, deliberate
desire and concern and care. It's not me, or my love. It's
Love Himself. I'm the hands, the mouthpiece, the vessel. Why
does He choose to use weak fallible vessels? I'm just the
little box He resides in.
It's almost overwhelming when He over-powers my pitiful emotions and intellect and stretches out and grasps for someone I wouldn't ordinarily try to reach. There's such a difference between me wanting to bring someone to Christ, and when God Himself is grasping.
His is more passionate, an urgent plea. He hurts to have her. He is moved by her state. It's not a mission or a challenge, it's a cry, a calling out, an intense yearning. He has invested everything -- it means so much to Him. It's not a duty, but the very dearest desire of His heart. He rents my heart in order to stretch out His hand towards her. And I am awed by His love. Nothing selfish. What does He gain but the soul of a finite being? And yet He pines for her. Every chance He knocks, woos, cries out, because He cares. And He plants me in her path and uses incapable, awkward, mistake-prone me. He must really enjoy extending lovingkindness through incapable, unthinkable, silly people.
It's almost overwhelming when He over-powers my pitiful emotions and intellect and stretches out and grasps for someone I wouldn't ordinarily try to reach. There's such a difference between me wanting to bring someone to Christ, and when God Himself is grasping.
His is more passionate, an urgent plea. He hurts to have her. He is moved by her state. It's not a mission or a challenge, it's a cry, a calling out, an intense yearning. He has invested everything -- it means so much to Him. It's not a duty, but the very dearest desire of His heart. He rents my heart in order to stretch out His hand towards her. And I am awed by His love. Nothing selfish. What does He gain but the soul of a finite being? And yet He pines for her. Every chance He knocks, woos, cries out, because He cares. And He plants me in her path and uses incapable, awkward, mistake-prone me. He must really enjoy extending lovingkindness through incapable, unthinkable, silly people.
***
I have realized that God sees each lost person with
inconceivable love and compassion. He longs for their soul. His
hand is constantly extended to the wicked. Not just the drug addict,
the prostitute, the stereotype that comes to mind, but the people we
know – the neighbor we detest, the mean check-out lady at the
grocery store, the heartless man who slandered our name. He cries
out for them also.
Practically speaking, how does God “reach out” to
these people He longs for? Us! God chooses to use His children as
His arms and hands to reach the lost. It is my opinion that if we
could see humanity through Jesus' eyes for a moment, we would have a
different heart when it comes to souls.
The love of God is supposed to be shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost. (Romans 5:5). Not only is the Holy Spirit
our comforter, He also is the power that throbs inside us to save the
damned.
I think our purpose on earth is multifaceted, but
certainly it cannot be argued that at least a sliver of that purpose
is to reach the dying. Recently I have been convicted of how
imperative it is that I personally fulfill His will in this
commandment. The “Great Commission” did not exclude women.
Outside of my church and my family, what am I personally
doing to reach the lost? Certainly, if it is God's desire that we
share Jesus with unbelievers, He must have a plan on how I am
to do this. Have I ever thought to ask Him?
Jesus says to go out. He says the fields are white with
harvest. He says He desires to be proved, to show Himself strong.
He says to sow in the morning and in the evening, not to withhold our
hand since we have no idea when that seed will prosper. (Ecc. 11:6).
He asks that we stop looking at people but through them.
He would be glad to delay the death of the wicked if we
would just ask. Christ dared to ask for the wicked – will we?
“Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for
thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy
possession.” Psalm 2:8
Related Posts:
To Be His Witness (By Toni H.)
Being a Jeremiah in a Jerusalem World (By Melissa B.)
Worn Out Love (By Chris H.)
This was really good Toni. I appreciated Psalms 2:8. What a thought. That God would give the salvation of the lost if we but asked! Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nay. :)
ReplyDeleteReally wonderful job Toni, very encouraging to me. To think, we have but to ask! Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteTasha
Thanks Tasha! :)
ReplyDelete