Boldness of Faith

Spring break. Snow. These two words should be far far away from each other. However, on our first full day at Flower City Work Camp (during our Spring break mind you)....we were met with a bone chilling windchill of 10 degrees and periods of heavy snow. Now I must tell you that I don't handle cold very well, and there I was serving on the Side Walk Club. The Side Walk Club is like a Back Yard Bible Club where songs, arts and crafts, games and a dramas based on a Bible story are performed for the children within the city.

I was blessed to be on a team with an incredible group of teenagers as well as adult leaders. It was wonderful to see the confidence that these high school students had in the Lord. Even on that first, snowy day, when no kids showed up, they kept a positive attitude through it all. Teenagers...keeping a positive attitude, seeing the best in people, encouraging and building each other up, working together.....what a joy this was to see first hand!

Our second day proved to be quite a blessing. We had 27 kids show up to our 2nd site...the same one where there had been zero the day before. Apparently there was a miscommunication as to where our location actually was to be held. On Tuesday, while we were waiting outside in blizzard like conditions, there were some precious children waiting for us to show up in a warm,cozy room in their apartment complex! Glad we finally figured it out! We were able to love on these kids and share the gospel with them.

I heard countless testimonies at our final meeting of how groups would go on prayer walks. While on the walks, they would approach people on the street and ask them if they could pray with them. Some accepted it; some rejected it. But seeds were planted. They saw people who took the time to care; to look them in the eyes and ask to pray with them. To share the gospel with them if they were open to it.

This brought conviction upon me. It is easy to sit here and type the gospel message, or to post it on FaceBook or to Tweet scripture. It is another thing to go up to a total stranger and begin a conversation about the Lord. But why should it be? It did take me out of my comfort zone a little bit. Most of the circles I'm in...everyone is already a believer. If I'm to be an obedient follower of Christ, then I must do what He says in the Great Commission.....

"Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV)

He will empower us through the Holy Spirit to go out and share our testimony with others. The thought of missing an opportunity to share the love of Christ with someone who is ready to respond horrifies me. After reading about the convictions of D.L. Moody and how his boldness in the faith changed a man has challenged me.

D. L. Moody made an covenant with God that he would witness for Christ to at least one person each day. One night, about ten o’clock, he realized that he had not yet witnessed; so he went out in to the street and spoke to a man standing by a lamppost, asking him, “Are you a Christian?” The man flew into a violent rage and threatened to knock Moody into the gutter.
Later, that same man went to an elder in the church and complained that Moody was “doing more harm in Chicago than ten men were doing good.” The elder begged Moody to temper his zeal with knowledge. Three months later, Moody was awakened at the YMCA by a man knocking at the door. It was the man he had witnessed to. “I want to talk to you about my soul,” he said to Moody. He apologized for the way he had treated Moody and said that he had had no peace ever since that night on Lake Street when Moody witnessed to him. Moody led the man to Christ and he became a zealous worker in the Sunday school.
The Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, W. Wiersbe, p. 205

What if Moody had not gone out that night? What if he chose sleep over His conviction? I know that God will get His work done with or without me. I read that Billy Graham felt that he was God's second choice for his evangelism ministry. Mr. Graham was willing to be used and was open before the Lord every morning. I don't want to miss out on being used in any capacity by the Lord. It requires a daily surrendering with an open heart. A daily sensitivity to His leading. Less of me...more of Him.

This week has deepened my need to be bold in my faith and to love people unconditionally. It has done the same within the hearts of my four children and my husband. We are different. Our eyes have been opened. I am looking forward to see how the Lord will use us in this journey as we are obedient to Him!