From Atheist to Believer
One of the neat things about working in a mission environment is being able to watch men's lives transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of these delightful stories is of a man I will pseudonymously call T.J.
I first encountered T.J. in a negative, somewhat frustrating light. The service I preach in is from 6:30-7:00. And while I try to keep my messages within that time, sometimes I run a little over. I began to notice that if I went a second over 7:00, T.J. would stand up, and walk out—never an encouraging sign of your preaching, or of the condition of one's heart.
As time went along, I got a new and surprising indication of changes—changes that were surely a longtime in the making, but I had not been privileged to witness first-hand since I only come for about an hour a week.
Every service before I begin preaching, I ask for prayer needs. I was a little surprised when he shared one, and even more surprised to hear what it was. He said, "I have not been reading the Bible this week. Before I had been reading it for hours a day, and now some of the anger and bitterness has come back, and I don't like it."
So I prayed.
I got to hear a little more about how the Lord had been working on his life at a graduation ceremony he participated in from one phase of the New Life Recovery Program to another phase. At the ceremony, the men can share what the lord has been doing. As T.J. stood up to speak, he told a little about where he had been and said, "I have been spent my life giving up on God, but God had never given up on me." His words were interrupted by a rush of emotion and tears, and then he said, "I had more, but I'll stop." He needn't have said another word.
Sometime after that service, he was in the service when I preached, and afterward came up and said, "You're preaching is getting better all the time." I hope it is, but I wonder if it has more to do with his heart.
Finally, we had another graduation ceremony last week and he said that for most of forty years he had been an avowed atheist until he met God who showed him His grace, mercy and love. From atheist to believer. A miracle to watch.
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