Pray For Salvation

Devotional for Sunday, July 13, 2003 by Anne Russell

One rainy Saturday afternoon, I brought myself to travel a distance to visit a gentleman I had known for years, who was now in a nursing home. I should not have left it so late in the day, as the time for his dinner drew near. I found him in his room, reading the paper, or at least fumbling through it.

I sat talking for awhile, and, as the conversation went on about trivia, he showed me a model that he had set up in his room. I said, "How long have you been working on that?" He replied, "About thirty years."

This led me to think that he really didn't wish to finish this project, nor did he seem particularly interested in anything.

I felt I had an opening to ask about his faith, which I had already suspected was about as alive as the model left unfinished in his room.

I asked him, "What about your journey down the road? What do you think lies ahead for you?"

"Nothing," he spoke harshly. "I don't believe in anything." Knowing what I was referring to, he said, "Look at that Jesus! He did all those things, and he died. What good did he do?"

I responded, "But after he died, he rose again from the dead for our salvation."

"I can't believe," he retorted, "and I don't have any faith."

I felt I had been hit in the middle, and my heart ached for him. To end the conversation, he said, "It's suppertime; I must go."

Though he didn't invite me to dine with him, as I turned to go, I thought of today's Scripture. How important it is for us to be sure to accept the invitation to Christ, and not to put it off, or we will never taste the feast in the kingdom of heaven.

Prayer: Dear Lord, try as we might to witness to friends, we know it is You who choose Your own. Help us to realize, once we have presented the good news of Christ, that we must leave it in Your hands, praying for salvation for those who do not believe. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Anne Russell <anbrussell@rogers.com>
Brampton, Ontario, Canada

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Today's Music:     O Lord, Thou Art My God And King.  

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