(An audible experience)
Your Are Their Only
Hope
This is difficult to write. Years ago while in the shower I was thinking
about a couple I knew who were not Christian, but with whom I interacted from
time to time when I heard the Lord speak audibly and directly to me the following words: "You
are their only hope." This
was a stunning revelation as the Lord knew I was concerned about them, and this
included a concern regarding their salvation. More stunning was the phrase "only hope", as I as first
found it inconceivable that the Lord could not accomplish their salvation
without my help and that others were not praying for them. (As I write this, I
am reminded of a statement attributed to Mother Mary during one of her many
apparitions: "Many souls go to hell merely because they have no one to pray for
them.")
From that point on I began to
pray for them and to practice -when I could, friendship evangelization. I, along with my wife Suzanne modeled for
them our Christian ethic by regularly attending church and having meetings of
youth and adults at our house for bible studies and worship and other similar
events. We were openly Christian and showed our love for the Lord by the way we
lived our lives.
Yet, moving forward to the current day (9/11/11 -the ten year anniversary of Ground Zero), I am saddened to report that
this couple is now divorced with the wife having left the husband after thirty
(30) years of marriage. Reflecting upon this it seems that I did not take this
word of knowledge as seriously as I might have. I believe that I may have failed
the Lord in that I did not undertake a prayer assault for this couple including
a time of fasting and intercession. I did what I could, but I did not go the
extra mile.
Lesson Learned: To him to whom much is given much is
expected. The Christian walk is not a
cake-walk and the battle for souls is not bloodless or without labor. While this couple is now divorced I continue
to pray for them for all things are possible with God. But, I must do my part
and this includes a willingness to suffer for the sake of the Gospel. I am almost seventy years old as I write this
and I know God's love for me and his heart for the lost. So, I pray, help me
Lord, to bring them to your altar.
