Five months into the race and I’ve seen thriving ministries and communities ignited for Christ. I’ve had the opportunity to serve in children’s, women’s, and outreach ministries. I’ve led worship, been called ‘teacher’ and ‘zumba instructor.’ God has challenged me to grow personally and encourage others in their relationships with the Lord.
I’ve also gotten into the habit of praying for others and asking the Lord to be present in everything my team strives for in the name of Jesus. You know what I never thought to ask him? That I would be used to lead people to Christ. It seems obvious. A person goes to serve the Lord throughout the nations and people will know about Jesus. It took me five months to realize I never asked God to actually step into this aspect of ministry.
If I am doing good works without seeing lives changed, everything I am doing is worthless. Satan is okay with people doing good things. He wants us to believe it is the good we do that will allow us to spent eternity with God. It’s like a veil over our eyes keeping us from realizing we need a savior. If we believe what we do on our own is enough, we are condemned to eternity in hell.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
Last week I began praying I would see people come to Christ. Friends, God is faithful and hears our prayers. Today, for the first time in my life, God used me to lead a man to salvation! I’ve been following the Lord for 20 years and never felt the urgency to actually encourage others to believe in Jesus as their savior.
John 15 gives a metaphor about Christians being like vines. If a vine doesn’t produce any fruit, it is pointless. The vinedresser will cut it away so another can be planted that will produce fruit. If a vine serves its purpose and produces even a little fruit, the vinedresser will continue pruning the vine so it will over time become more strong and produce more fruit.
Maybe in my life I’ve encouraged others to grow closer to God. That’s not for me to know. It will have been the love of Christ shining through me without me knowing, and praise God that I can only boast in him and not anything I’ve done or seen. But now I’m so excited to be used and have seen His name produce immediate change.
I’m like a happy little vine who knows it has a purpose. I’ve seen it!
Today we were walking along the road and saw a man working. As we stopped I was reminded of the story where Jesus visits Martha and Mary. Mary sits with Jesus, listening to him and spending time with him. Martha busies herself with work and seems annoyed that her sister isn’t helping. Martha says to Jesus “do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.” But Jesus says that Mary chose the good thing, to sit with him and listen to his Word.
Lindee, Eben, and I introduced ourselves to Toha. When I told him the story, he stopped working, leaned back against the car he had been washing, and listened to us with full attention. We talked for a long while. At one point he was going to return to washing the car, but Lindee picked up his bucket so he could continue the conversation.
Toha asked questions and his tough exterior visibly melted away the more things became clear to him. When we mentioned that God could be his father, Toha’s face lit up with a smile. We knew the Lord brought us to this exact spot and this exact person because He wants to call him son. We asked if he wanted to be adopted into God’s family, and if he understood all we had been saying.
Friends, today we have a new brother in Christ!
Eben assured Toha he would be checking in on him and discipling him. I was encouraged because he still has questions and will not be alone as he begins walking with God. Eben believes Toha will be a pastor in the area, and I agree.
Friends, we all deserve to die. But praise the Lord, there is a way to live. Romans 6:23 says “[f]or the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” All we have to do is believe we have messed up and deserve to die, but that God sent his only son Jesus to become human. Jesus lived a perfect life, so was able to be sacrificed on a cross. When he died, he took all of our sins and wiped them clean. Because of his sacrifice, we are able to spent eternity with him and God in paradise.
I truly hope to see you there.
*I’m hoping to make one of my next blogs a Q and A session. If you have any questions about the World Race (or literally anything), submit them in the comments below or to [email protected] and I will try to answer them all!
