I’m going to take you on a small adventure that I had one of my last days in Romania.
A group of 6 people start walking to the botanical garden in Criaova with an objective to share the gospel. This garden had it all, streams, ponds, people, wildlife, trails, benches, flowers, bushes, etc…Even in the mist of winter there was much beauty in this place. Those 6 people consist of 3 woman and 3 men. Once they all get to the garden, they split ways and start asking the Lord to point them in the correct direction. There is this one man who wasn’t feeling good about the situation, so he went his own direction for a while. During that time, he observed the woman and men talking to individuals and groups of people telling them about God. It was a beautiful thing for that man to sit back and see what God was doing through all of them, but he had doubts about being “good enough” to share the gospel. He fought with Satan and God about being “good enough” to talk to the people that need to hear the name of Jesus the most. He fought to keep it an internal struggle but the way his body language started to show, you could tell he was wrestling with something on the inside. After a few hours in the garden, the men found themselves back at the front sitting on a bench waiting for the women. This man looked around and saw someone who he knew he needed to talk to and wouldn’t you know, that person(she) got up and walked over. But he still couldn’t say anything, so one of the other men spoke up.
The conversation lasted almost 1 1/2hrs and it was fruitful and wonderful. Good questions were asked, but they were also answered with powerful scripture and real life application. During this conversation the man, became silent and started to hear what she was saying through all the words that were trying to mask what was really going on. He heard, not in direct words, “I’m not worthy” and it took him to his knees. Little did she know that was something that man had felt just months before. Even after being raised in a church, had friends, came back to the Lord, has a very supportive community, he still felt that he wasn’t worthy enough. He took over the conversation and looked that girl directly in her eyes and asked “Do you feel worthy?” She answered “No.” That conversation shifted towards why do you not feel worthy, who says you are worthy, and there is hope in God. The conversation had just hit the 1 hour and 15 minute mark. While being bent down the man grabbed a necklace from around his neck and gave it to the girl. It has the word “Worthy” written on it. That man was able to give away what he had just received from God a few months back. The girl held back tears and made sure not to cry. She at first refused to take the key, but the man insisted on taking it. Just as a daily reminder that you are Worthy to be on this earth and living. They ended up exchanging social media info and have been trying to communicate about God over those messages.
The story didn’t start and end with the gospel being spread…It story starts with the first breath of any person and ends when they leave Earth. It is our job to plant seeds and make sure we do what we can for that seed to grow. It doesn’t have to be anything profound…it’s a simple as listening to God, to people, and showing the love of God. A key with the word “Worthy” is only the beginning of this story. Will I ever hear the end of the story, probably not. But God doesn’t ask me to know, he asks me to “Walk by Faith” knowing the work will be done.
