Acts 16:13-14 "And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul."
The year was 1972; the place was Mira Mesa, a newly developed suburb in San Diego. The Lord had led my wife and me to start a church in this rapidly growing area. I spent my days knocking on doors, sharing God's Word, inviting people to church.
Those were exciting days, but the more I shared the Gospel, the more discouraged I became. The people I encountered were nice enough, but most of them politely declined my invitation to receive Christ. What was I doing wrong? Why didn't they respond?
During that time Joan and I attended a conference on evangelism at Arrowhead Springs, headquarters for Campus Crusade for Christ. God used one simple sentence in a message to change our lives. The speaker was talking about sharing our faith and I'll never forget these words: "Success in witnessing is simply sharing the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God."
A light bulb flashed in my mind; it was an "ah-hah" moment! In that instant, the Lord took all the pressure off my shoulders. He told me that my job was to be a faithful witness. It was His job to open hearts to the Gospel.
That was 41 years ago. Since then I have endeavored to do my part and I have rejoiced to see God do His. It is still frustrating at times to have people reject the Message; it's hard to patiently wait for God to open the hearts of ones I love. I occasionally struggle with my inclination to "close the sale", but God is faithful to keep reminding me that it's not my job.
Dear Lord, thank You for clarifying my job description. Thank You for reminding me that You are the only One who can open hearts to Your Word. Please help me to ready at all time to share Your Gospel with those I encounter. Give me the sensitivity and boldness I need, and let me trust You for the results. Amen.
