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July 11, 2016
No One is Beyond the Reach of Truth |
“‘Return home and tell how much God has done for you.’ So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.’” Luke 8:39 (NIV)
Do you ever find it stressful to talk about Jesus with friends and family members?
I certainly do sometimes, but I think it’s important to think about. We’ve all got people in our lives who need us to break past our hesitations and share the reality of Jesus.
I was profoundly reminded of this several years ago when I spoke at a Pregnancy Care Center dinner in Florida. At the end of the night, the center’s director asked a board member to come forward and close the evening in prayer. I almost fell out of my chair when I saw this board member was a guy I’d known in high school.
Well, let me clarify that. I knew who he was. He didn’t have a clue who I was.
He had been in the popular crowd — the star athlete who dated the beautiful girls. I was one of those girls in high school who was easy to miss. I felt invisible back then. And judging by the blank look on his face when I made the connection we’d graduated the same year, my assessment was pretty accurate.
He apologized profusely for his wild behavior in high school and acknowledged that he could have been voted, “Least likely to grow up to be a pastor.” I agreed. But then again, I wasn’t exactly on the fast track toward ministry in high school, either.
After we chatted for a few minutes, he got a very serious look on his face. Then he said something I won’t soon forget.
“You know what is really odd, Lysa? All those years of high school and college, I was a very visible person. I had lots of friends. Then I got a college scholarship to play basketball at a major university and there were even more people who knew me. But no one — no family member, no peer, no girlfriend, no teacher, no coach, no professor, no fan — no one — not one person ever told me about Jesus. All those years, all those people, and not one time did someone try to tell me the truth. Finally when I was 21 years old, someone took that chance to share with me how they met Jesus, and it radically changed my life.”
His statement startled me. And I hope it startles me the rest of my life.
No one is beyond the reach of truth.
Not the wispy, invisible girl who thinks of herself as nothing more than a little background noise. And not the star athlete revered by thousands.
Everyone deserves to hear about Jesus sooner rather than later.
And we must never assume that surely someone else would do a much better job than we would.
Who in your sphere of influence needs to hear a bit of your HIS‒story this week? Don’t let Satan whisper that this message is meant for other people. It’s not. If you read this, it’s meant for you, sweet sister.
And don’t fret trying to figure out the perfect words to say. It’s as simple and beautiful as Jesus’ command to the man in Luke 8:39, “… tell how much God has done for you.”
You don’t even have to worry about how to arrange the perfect situation to connect with that person who came to mind. Just tell Jesus you are willing. He’s very capable of handling all the details.
Our job is obedience. God’s job is results.
Dear Lord, thank You for loving me before I even knew You. Give me Your eyes and Your heart to be able to see anyone who needs to know about You today. And give me the right words and the necessary courage to share with my friends and family members. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Philippians 1:27a, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (NIV)
Romans 10:20, “And Isaiah boldly says, ‘I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.’” (NIV)
RELATED RESOURCES:
Have you ever felt invisible like Lysa TerKeurst did in today’s devotion? God wants you to know you are seen and loved. And in Lysa’s newest book, Uninvited, she’ll help you start believing that even when you’re overlooked by others, you are handpicked by God. Pre-order your copy of Uninvited here today and get limited-time resources you can’t get anywhere else!
REFLECT AND RESPOND:
Who could you share your story with this week?
Pray. Seek God for the right words and the right opportunity. Take a step of faith. Trust that God will be glorified.
© 2016 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
630 Team Rd., Suite 100
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org
Originally published Monday, 11 July 2016.
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