Day 18 – Sharing Your Testimony

If your ultimate purpose in life is to glorify God, then making disciples should be near tops on your list for how to go about fulfilling this.  Sharing your testimony will be integral in this endeavor.  So will prayer, especially to discern when and where.  Years ago I was praying about what to preach at one of our favorite supporting churches.  Each time I prayed, the Spirit living in me said, “Share your testimony.”  For several weeks I battled this “bad idea.”  In sermons we generally look ahead, rather than look back.  So, eventually, I wrote another sermon, which would be typical for a returning missionary.  On the Sunday morning in question, I got up to speak, with sermon in hand.  As I looked out over the congregation, I felt like Jonah running away from Nineveh.  So, with a deep sigh, I put the sermon away, and with no notes (no net), completely through the Spirit, began to unpack my suitcase.  Apparently, God knew what I didn’t; and as I shared sometimes painful life lesson, people to my left were in tears, people to my right, and people straight ahead.  Definitely, the Holy Spirit was at work in hearts.  Go figure — God knew hearts and needs better than I.   When the invitation was offered many responded — Praise the Lord!  Completely drained, I was relieved to be going off to the safety of the Sunday School missions presentation.  Then, rudely, after what seemed like only a few minutes, a deacon interrupted, and said, “We need to go!”  “Go where?” I asked.  “Second service,” was the reply.  I groaned.