"You are the light of the world."
Matthew 5:14. NRSV.
I was visiting in my birth country traveling on a
train, sitting alone with only a few passengers on board.
A young woman was sitting with a young man, who
apparently had been drinking. Their conversation could be heard by all in that
car. My own ears soon picked up an effort by the woman to witness to the man,
who must have been a brother or a cousin. She had something from the Word of God
to encounter the young man's unbelieving sentences. His head down, he had more
to encounter her words, and found all sorts of reasons to doubt. The other
passengers drew to themselves seemingly, but could not avoid the truth from
happening. I prayed for the Spirit of God to bless the young woman, and that the
same Spirit would bless the young man to sober up from his failing to trust God.
I sensed the Spirit of God present and the young
woman, a living witness to Jesus her Savior. She was not moved by her
companion's persistent talk back, but was moved to speak in love to her
companion's condition. The rest of us were subjected to listen or ignore the act
before us.
I thanked God for her. Surely she had been chosen by
God to further the good news of Jesus Christ. My heart leaped for joy as he
seemed to be listening.
The train approached the station I was to get off at.
I stood up looking at the man, and said: "You know she is right in everything
she told you. There is a God who longs to save. I pray you will seek Him."
The man stood up as if sobered up in an instant. We
looked at each other in the eye as the train was coming to a stop and as I
hurried out I said: "God bless you."
I will not forget his eyes looking at me as if
something had struck him the first time. I read into his silence volumes, he had
his head up as to waking up to digest for himself new hope and a future.
It was the right time in the right train to meet in
passing the deep questions of life, for some in the train an uncomfortable
timing for the subject, for others an eternity moment for salvation of a soul.
If we are not able to go where unbelievers are, or
meet them where they are we all can pray for salvation in Jesus Christ for all
who are on a train heading for destruction. It is nothing short of a miracle
when a Christian has an open opportunity to say: I will pray for you! Do you
know Jesus loves you?
One day I was sitting on a park bench when two young
men stopped to share a weed. I got up and went the step or two to them and
asked: "What is your first name? I will pray for you." One of the youngsters
said smoking and laughing to my face that his grandmother prays for him too. I
continued a little longer to talk to them. Some time had passed when I heard
someone say a loud hello. Running towards me was one of those youngsters saying
he wanted to thank me for praying for him. He looked handsome, cleaned up,
neatly dressed, hair trimmed. He said he found a job. He looked quite different
from the one I met before. My heart leaped with joy. Such transformation was
hard to believe and I told him so.
He said he is blessed to have people pray for him. I
thanked God for his grandmother.
Prayer: Father God! Thank you God for those your
servants who knowingly and unknowingly witness the good news of salvation to the
lost who are in a train heading for destruction. Keep strong the faithful ones
in your service, not to be afraid to step on the train but strong to change the
destination for some in your name. Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Kirsti Sipila
Brantford, Ontario, Canada
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
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