Personal Evangelism ....Sharing our Faith

I got to thinking yesterday about the many opportunities that the Lord gives us to share our faith.

I know some people struggle in this area. I never really did, as young girl ( was saved when I was a teenager) many moons ago.

I wanted everyone to know about Jesus!!.
One of my favorite places to go was to the Christian Book store to buy tracks and if I could save $30.00 I could get a case of Black NIV Bibles. Whoo Hoo!

I'd spend days just taking the bus back and forth across the city dropping tracks, talking about Jesus and giving out Bibles to anyone that asked Him to be their Lord and Saviour. I loved it .

As I got older and spent some time in corporate America I realized not everyone wanted to "talk" about Jesus. Everyone knew I was a "Christian", and if they had family problems or illnesses they would come and ask me to pray for them.

Several of my co-workers came to Christ over the years. The most significant was when Rita ( my first boss) developed bone cancer. By that time we had both left our jobs at this company. Rita's cancer progressed fast. I knew Rita was a 'religious' lady, but I was not sure in my heart that she knew Jesus as her Lord. We had talked about God and religious "things". For years I talked to her about a relationship with Jesus.

I loved this lady like another Mother, she was just a kind-hearted woman. Always wonderful to me. She made sure the years I worked I never missed a program the children we doing , never a play, never missed one thing the children had at school.

It was a Saturday morning and I was doing dishes and Rita had been in the hospital a couple of days and I had such a sense of urgency to go see her immediately in the hospital. I remember going quickly into the Living room, and telling John I needed to go see Rita right away.

I left for the hospital and found Rita listening to "old" songs on a little radio in her room. Her husband Bob had died the year before. As soon as I entered her room I was overcome with emotion.

Literally sobbing, I just loved her so much and knew she was not ready to go home. She held my hand trying to comfort me. My dear friend , that was so like her.

After small Chit-chat , I got up to leave never having told Rita why I was really there, never telling her I knew God sent me there to share the gospel with her once again. I got up kissed her check and tenderly hugged her frail body. I knew she would not be with us long. I quietly left her room .

As I got directly outside her room , I was racked with sobbing I could just not control. My dear friend, I loved her so much, I had failed her , I had not shared Jesus with her. I didn't want her to think I thought she wasn't going to heaven, I was scared to face this eternal question with her when I knew she was at deaths door. I never felt so empty.

As these thoughts whirled about in my head I heard the faint sound of crying coming from Rita's room. It was her. Quietly crying. I do not know how quickly it happened , but the next thing was I found myself beside her bed telling her how much I loved her and what an inspiration she had been in the life's of so many people and that now was the time to make sure that when she passed from this life she would be received into the loving arms of Jesus.

Both of us were gently sobbing now and Rita prayed with me and asked Jesus to come into her heart and life and to be her Lord and her Savior.

The room became full of the peace of God that passes all understanding. I knew without a doubt that Jesus was there and that He heard Rita's prayer and He had saved her. We stay for quite a while after that just looking at each other , holding each other's hand no words needed.

Two days later at Rita's funeral when the minister was saying . Our Beloved sister Rita is in the arms of Jesus. I knew without a doubt it was true.

Sometimes God sends us. Sometimes it is pretty and sometimes it is not. Sometimes we are the only glimpse of Jesus that someone will see.

Ask God in your prayer time with Him to make you ready to always be able to have the gospel on your lips should God open the door.
Hugs, GG