The Best Birthday Gift I Received This Year - Enjoying the Journey

This week I celebrated my 45th birthday. At this point in life, I can honestly say there is nothing I really want. God has been good to meet every need, and just the joy of being with family was enough. Still, it is always enjoyable to open gifts from those you love. We had a great time.

On Wednesday evening before church Tammy and Grant took me out to dinner. We decided to go to a restaurant in town that I had not been to for many years. When we walked through the door a waiter immediately came over, shook my hand, and called me by name. To be honest, I was trying to place where I knew him from. At the end of our meal he came by our table and began a conversation.

More than a decade ago, I preached in a place where he lived in another state. He recounted the life that he had lived since then and ended with the words: “I don’t think God would want anything to do with me now.” As we continued to talk, it was clear that this young husband and father was under real Holy Spirit conviction.

As we spoke about the grace of God, he explained that he did not believe he had ever been saved. At that moment he was needed in another place and we exchanged contact information with the goal of getting together the next day. As our family walked toward the front door a massive storm moved in and the heavens opened up. I mean torrential rain!

Standing there waiting for it to clear, I turned around to see the man I had been speaking with had followed us out. God was working on him and sent a rain storm to stop us from leaving. In a matter of a few moments, we sat down in the lobby of the restaurant and he called on Christ to save him. When he said “Amen” the rain stopped and he said, “Well, I guess you can go now!” We both knew the Lord had made a divine appointment for us.

It was my birthday, but it was his “born again” day! He received the gift of eternal life and the privilege of being there was the best birthday gift I received this year. I was reminded again that there are seeking souls everywhere

Today, many believers from churches in our area are out sharing the gospel in preparation for an upcoming gospel crusade. Would you pray for them to have divine appointments? Pray that God will give you someone to speak to about Christ. Somewhere there is a heart being prepared for the truth. And I can testify that there is nothing more satisfying than seeing another sinner come to know the joy of being forgiven and receiving the gift of eternal life.

After the Lord Jesus had led a Samaritan woman to Himself, He told His disciples, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of…my meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:32, 34). Serving Christ and reaching sinners really is the most fulfilling thing in this world.

(For more information on the upcoming God Bless America Rally in southern West Virginia visit GodBlessAmericaRally.com.)