As they were walking down the hospital corridor, Nathan was suddenly struck by a thought. "I forgot all about Brian."
Poppa Joe followed him over to the pay phone in the hall. "The pastor?"
"I promised I'd come by this evening." When the operator came on, he asked for the number for Reverend Brian Blackstone of Hillsboro. As he waited he went on, "He was going to give me my first lesson in the Bible."
As Nathan fished for change to pay for the call, he glanced up. "What's the matter?"
For the first time that exhausting day, Poppa Joe was genuinely anxious. "I took you away from getting to know the Lord?"
"It's all right."
"No, it ain't." The old man looked stricken. "It ain't all right at all."
In the book Poppa Joe was saved, and Nathan was not. But the part that hit me was that Poppa Joe had cancer and went to the hospital to get the lowdown on it, but became extremely bothered when he realized Nathan (his backwoods doctor) didn't have an opportunity to do a Bible Study because of him.
Which got me thinking. Do I tremble when I prevent a lost person from having an opportunity to hear about my precious Savior? Do I count my life as nothing in order for that soul to experience everlasting life? Here's a quote from the book "Stepping Heavenward" (Elizabeth Prentiss):
~ "If it is true that God notices every little thing we do to please Him, He must also notice every cross word we speak, every shrug of the shoulders, every ungracious look."~
God has noticed all those cross words, shoulder shrugs, and ungracious looks I've given out. Makes me think of the verse that says every idle word will be accounted for one day.
Search me, O God, and know my heart today.
Try me, O Saviour, know my thoughts I pray.
See if there be some wicked way in me.
Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free.
(Words by J. Edwin Orr)
2 comments:
I couldn't help but think of a song too. I don't know if you know the Rochester Family, but they sing a song and the chorus goes something like
How long has it been, since your eyes filled with tears
Over one, who is lost out in sin
Jesus said if you'll go and in tears you will sow, with rejoicing, you'll come back again.
Sometimes, we get so involved with what's going on in our lives that we forget to pray and witness to the very ones around us, hindering them from the WORD that could very well save their soul.
Good post, Anne!
Kristi ~ I couldn't agree with you more. Just last evening, I finally had a chance to ask my brother's girlfriend to do a Bible Study with me. She's 3 1/2 months pregnant and has been sooo sick. I've been praying for an opportunity and the opportunity has come, praise the Lord. It would have been easier to wait until life settles down, but I've noticed that life never really does! Those are really good words that you posted; I've never heard the group before... are they from your area?
Post a Comment