“But sanctify the Lord God
in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you
a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” – 1 Peter
3:15
A friend of mine was talking
to me about something that happened to her. Something wonderful and, at the same time
terrifying. She was talking to tech
support trying to solve her internet router problem – if can you identify – say
Hallelujah! At any rate – she had been
having a not-so-good week – and ready or not – somehow the conversation went
personal and spiritual. Next thing you know – she led a young man – who lives
on the other side of the world to the foot of the cross. She said she was terrified and yet her heart
was rejoicing. She knows that she can’t
save anyone. She knows that there is not
special Christian mantra that, if said often enough, will be irresistible to
the hearer. She knew it was God and she
suspected that what had been happening to her the week prior was preparation
for that phone call.
Do you think that God would
do that? Does it seem impossible or circumstantial? Let me ask this. Do you believe that God would send His Son
from heaven to die on a cross for that young man on the other end of that phone
call? Do you believe that could happen? Why are we surprised by what God
does. One reason I think is that deep
down, everyone knows that they don’t deserve God’s grace and mercy – and yet He
gave it and continues to give it. The really amazing thing is that He uses
people like you and me, like my friend to be part of it. We are merely tending
the Garden – like Paul and Apollos
“Who then is Paul, and who
is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each
one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he
who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.”
– 1 Corinthians 3:5-7
We are not on the hunt for “spiritual
scalps” as if we get extra points in heaven for leading people to the
Lord. We are just doing our “job”, what
God intended and what Jesus commanded.
God uses us as part of the “salvation chain of events” that culminates
in someone surrendering to faith in Jesus. It is a privilege to be part of that.
But I want to point out a part of 1 Peter 3:15 that is typically not
emphasized. “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts” That means that we must be
spiritually prepared for what God is leading us to. So often we prepare to share our faith as if
we were memorizing our lines for a play or a speech. When God uses you to plant or water, it is a
spiritual event. We should spend more
time on preparing our hearts and less time on memorizing a script as if a
person’s salvation depended upon our words said the right way in the right
amount of time.
I know that what I am saying
is not conventional, but God is not conventional – He is God. There is no
magic formula for leading someone to the Lord like my friend did – it is
spiritual and Spirit-led. Listen my mom shared the Lord with me for seven years
– but it was not until my heart was ready did I put my faith in Jesus – and then
it was not during a conversation with her.
Was she part of it – absolutely but she was not the source of the power
behind it. So what about you? Are you
ready? Or I suppose I should ask, “Is your heart sanctified and ready?” I hope so.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For
His Glory Alone
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