Every Preacher's Dream

By Words of Hope, Monday, May 26, 2008

Read: Jonah 3:3a-5

"And the people of Nineveh believed God . . ." (v. 5)

Every preacher dreams of people responding to the gospel and coming to faith in Christ. Some of the most thrilling experiences in my ministry were when people shared with me that they believed. It is always humbling to play a part in someone's conversion.

A pastor friend told me about a call he made on a woman who had been in a horrible car accident. As he saw her in the hospital he was overwhelmed by her condition. She could not breathe on her own and did not respond when he spoke to her. The pastor said a few encouraging words, read from the Bible, prayed, and left.

Months later my friend came home one day to find a message on his answering machine. He recognized the voice immediately. "I just want you to know that you saved my life that day," the woman said, "because I had decided to die. But you gave me hope. And now I trust Christ as my Savior. Thank you."

My friend did not think he did very much. Jonah didn't do all that much either. He just spoke God's message. Who knows? If you do the same, maybe your witness will save someone's life.

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Make me a blessing to someone today. Amen.

Used with Permission