Back when churches did Tuesday night visitation to meet the people who had come as guests on the Sunday before, sometimes those doorstep visits seemed to make a difference in the lives of our guests, but sometimes the visits could seem ineffective and even annoying to those we visited. Some people would not come to the door, pretending not to be home, even though I could hear them telling other family members to be quiet until I went away. One particular Tuesday night, I had collected a handful of names and addresses to go visit. I went to several homes and no one was home. I had one more visitation card in my stack, but I was already late trying to get home and tell my kids “goodnight” and this house was another 30 minutes from where I was and another 45 back to my house. So, I started to head home, so I could join Anita in the bedtime routine of reading, rocking, tucking-in, and praying with our 4 preschoolers. I decided I would visit this couple the next Tuesday. However, I got this overwhelming feeling that I needed to go to this particular house that night. I tried to ignore it and then began arguing in my head with God that I needed to go home. God, of course won the argument, and compelled me to go. So, I turned around to go to this house that would add another hour plus to my evening. I would have to trust that God would give Anita grace, once again, to put all four kids to bed by herself. When I got to the last visitation, the house was huge, but it was dark. I was miffed… thinking that I came all the way out here to visit an empty house. I said a prayer and walked to the door to ring the doorbell; it was worth a try, maybe they were in another part of the house. When I did, lights came on and a young couple came to the door with a somewhat surprised look on their faces. I told them who I was and they invited me in. There were large, dark, empty rooms sparsely decorated. We found some chairs and sat down. They explained they had planned to sell the house, so there wasn’t much furniture left. They also explained that they had visited the church on Sunday in a last ditch hope to save their marriage. They said, “we just prayed at dinner tonight, that if God didn’t show us something, we would be filing for an amicable divorce tomorrow.” I was able to talk with them and tell them I believed the solution was a real and vital relationship with Jesus Christ. They both were saved that night! A few weeks later, they were baptized and invited their friends to come watch. Their friends, who had noticed a dramatic difference in their marriage and lives, became curious, came to church with them and were saved too. All in all about a dozen people began to follow Christ. Wow! And to think that I almost didn’t go that night! I know God didn’t need me to go to their house that night. He would have accomplished His will in their lives in any way He wanted, but He invited me to join Him in that work and what a blessing it was.
The apostle Paul was telling the leaders of the church at Ephesus about how God had urged him to keep going even when it meant sacrifices on his part. He told them, “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:22–24) My being late getting home that night was definitely worth it. God chose to use me to lead that couple to hear and receive the Gospel. My being inconvenienced one night seems silly compared to the hardship, beatings and prison Paul endured. I’m humbled that God had compelled me to join Him and testify to the Good News of His grace. If you feel compelled by God to do something, don’t miss it. God is including us in His plan to save people, their marriages, their lives, their friends!
Hang in there people! God is glad to be with us! I’m praying for us all!
