"Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws.  You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you. ¹³ Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News. ¹⁴ But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself. ¹⁵ Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. ¹⁶ Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth ¹⁷ Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them. ¹⁸ If someone is eager to do good things for you, that’s all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I’m with you.¹⁹ Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. ²⁰ I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you."  Galatians 4.12-20, New Living Translation

Good Day~

Do you sense Paul’s urgent plea with the Galatians?  I wonder how long it took from the time Paul’s scribe penned the impassioned letter until it was actually received by the church. I almost feel as though I am eavesdropping as someone is telling something private about his own feelings, and the behavior of others.  And then, we see Paul’s awareness that communicating through letter fell painfully short of being able to convey his urgent thoughts to them in person, when they could see his facial expressions, the look in his eyes, and the tone of his voice.  (See, it isn’t just e-mail that presents this quandary, though it does indeed cause misunderstanding at times, doesn’t it?  Be prudent with your words—especially on e-mail, and when texting.)

Paul feels so responsible for these converts that he likens it to the birthing process.  Have you ever led anyone to God?  Realizing that there are usually a number of links along a chain, I hope that you will get to be the last link for someone at some point. I was one of those people who was really guilty of thinking that ‘witnessing’ or ‘evangelism’ was someone else’s job—it just wasn’t my gift!  And, that was how I dismissed it.  But then. . . (have you noticed that real change often takes place when “But then. . .” is interjected into our lives?)  But then. . . I felt the hand of God personally in my life, and I had to stop and ask, ‘Well then. . . what would you have of me in response?’  Somewhere in answering that prayer, (for my question really was a prayer), God stirred a quiet passion in me for those who were far from Him.  He helped me see that I had experienced some things—some powerful things—that brought answers to those who still had a vacant God-sized hole. 

Then, I began to ask God for opportunities in my day to tell someone about Him.  I must say, God delights in saying “yes” to that prayer!  God allowed me to share with others how He had been so real in my life, and then as people asked me the ‘next question’ or argued with me, it compelled me to study how to best answer them.  It was then I became a huge fan of Lee Strobel’s teaching, and read his material voraciously.  It prepared me to answer skeptics’ questions, and better explain my own beliefs.  (One of my favorites of his is Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary.)  And then, I began to pray that God would allow me to lead someone in prayer to follow Him. . . I wanted to be the last link in the chain of another person coming to know Christ.  At first, I was afraid I wouldn’t say the right words. . . but then. . . I got the opportunity, and I saw that God’s grace is not limited by my syntax.  If someone’s heart is turned toward what Jesus did for them, my verbiage isn’t going to mess up their salvation.  What an adventure!  There is nothing like it, I promise you.

So, ask God for some divine opportunities today~Then, share away! 

Go ahead. . . I dare you!