I recently had the opportunity to be out in a park surrounded mostly by family, friends and a few people I didn’t know. The Bible says we are to always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in us.

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2 Timothy 4:1-2)

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear…” (1 Peter 3:15)

We can’t see into the future and you never know when an opportunity from the Lord is going to appear. For me, it arrived in the form of a young girl who started asking innocent but probing questions about the Bible and God. I got to share the plan of salvation, and in doing so, I silently marveled at the simplicity of the Gospel. Unlike many religions, there are no performance based requirements. You don’t have to climb the highest mountain, there are no great acts required and it won’t cost you a dime. Please don’t get me wrong, salvation is free but the price wasn’t cheap. It cost God the Father his only begotten Son, a price He was willing to pay. Jesus said, “Freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8b)

So in presenting the plan of salvation and having time to share from the Bible, I’m happy to say it was not a fluff conversation where you talk about the weather and other stuff that have no eternal value, rather, I was able to have a conversation that will bear fruit into eternity. It was nice to see the Holy Spirit working and causing this girl to ask questions. Her soul was hungry and wanting to know things that it didn’t understand.

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

I responded to her requests by pulling up information from the Bible piece by piece, and it was like putting together a puzzle. It was exciting to watch as she took the different pieces, fit them together, and began to grasp the Gospel message.  The conversation didn’t culminate in salvation, but as the apostle Paul said, someone plants, another waters, but it is God that gives the increase. (1 Cor. 3:5-7) The Lord is in control and I am thankful for that. You never know when the opportunity will arrive, so you need to be ready.

My little son Daniel wakes up with a smile on his face every morning; as he stands in the crib jumping up and down, he is ready, happy and ready for me to pick him up and start loving him. The world is also waiting for the same thing. There is a real need for joyful Christians who are ready at a moment’s notice to love those who unwittingly oppose themselves. How do you stand? Are you ready?

 “…the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

Volume 15, Issue 5