Hubs felt a desire to work at our church's state fair booth this year. Our church buys a spot at the fair where we can simply share the good news of Jesus Christ with anyone who will listen. He signed himself up and began preparing for it, diligently both through prayer and through a DVD/book series called Way of the Master. Knowing I also needed to do this, I signed up but haven't been quite as excited as he.
It has been bothering me that it is so "hard" to share the gospel with others. Really, it just shows my selfishness - if I truly loved other people, I would be concerned for their spiritual state and want them to know that hell is real, that good people go to hell, and that there is only one way to heaven. So, I also started preparing for this day in my head, knowing that this is one of the things God has clearly called believers to do. No excuse. Period. And really, the fact that God uses us to draw others to Him is pretty amazing.
So, today was the first day of the Kansas State Fair. I worked our booth from 2-6 pm, in the HOT, HUMID weather. Satan was certainly trying to discourage me. My head pounded for all 4 hours. Sweat trickled down my entire body - gross. I was weary by the time I got to the booth. And after standing around for a while, I knew I needed to initiate my first conversation.
Here is a taste of my four hours:
"I've seen Jesus in my house, twice. He told me to stop doing drugs."
"Am I scaring you?"
"I ask for forgiveness, so I that's all I can do. Then, I hope that is good enough."
"Eternity isn't really forever."
"I don't know what Hell is, so why would I be concerned about going there?"
"I hate pastors."
"Everyone in churches are hypocrites."
"I believe we are in Hell now."
"I guess I don't know if I would go to Heaven."
"I just try to live how God wants me to live."
I was hugged by a man who hasn't showered in
I was ignored by tons of people.
I was yelled at.
I was given crazy looks.
I stumble-mumble-bumbled plenty. I stuttered and slurred my words. I didn't know what to say at times. And, I wished I would have said something different when they left. But I cared about each person that walked in that tent and I did not want a one of them to walk away without understanding their place before God and their need for Jesus. And no matter how my previous encounter went, I was looking forward to the next.
I am surprised that I can't wait to go back. I want to keep sharing so that I can get better, and I want to keep sharing so that more people hear.
I am walking away from the first day praising God for salvation and praying that somehow, someway God is using what I said to bring people to Him.
"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give see to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
Isaiah 55:10-11
2 comments:
What an amazing experience! I can somewhat relate to your experience, too, from a couple of years ago when Jack and I worked the State Fair. I wish I would have said things differently, or that I would have been bolder to Satan's attacks. It made me want to dig deeper into God's Word so I had a better defense to the attacks that were thrown our way. Way to make it through the first day!
thanks for sharing with honesty heather! i always like that about you. this could be a modern day psalm...it starts out negative but ends with remembering who God is and what he has done for you! thanks for the encouragement.
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