Going through open doors
“The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely.”
Psalm 145:18 (NLT)
Lydia had been asking spiritual questions, almost always without any prompting from me, and it opened a door to share more with her. She wanted to know about prophecies that Jesus fulfilled, about heaven and hell and if there really was a seventh heaven.
We met over coffee. I came prepared with a complete Bible in her heart language, ready to give it to her if the opportunity arose. As always, she started asking more questions. We talked about what a parable was, why four Bibles (she was referring to the four Gospels), what few stories of the Bible she was familiar with and so on.
After talking about the Bible, I asked her if she’d like one in her own heart language. She exclaimed that she would love to have one. I reached into my bag and pulled out the gift. Tears filled her eyes. “I’m so happy I could cry. My husband will be so excited, too,” she said. I offered to read and study the Bible with her. She agreed on the spot.
It never ceases to amaze me how God draws people to Himself and how easy it is to walk through doors that God opens instead of forcing our way through closed ones. God alone calls people to Himself; we are just blessed to be part of the process.
Lydia and her husband are hungry for truth. Since childhood, they'd been taught lies about Jesus. She said that they see a difference in me. I look forward to the day we can celebrate Christ in them.
Father of love and wisdom, thank You that You create people with a desperate hunger and longing that You alone can satisfy. Thank You that You draw near to those who call out to You in sincerity. I pray that workers in Western Europe will have the opportunity today to share the living, powerful Word of God with refugees who have receptive, seeking hearts. Amen.
Text exerpt from Voices of the Faithful. Order your own copy from the
International Mission Board
Resource Center