My church offered Alpha courses to internationals in our community. The guests showed up, likely lured by the prospects of practicing their second language, English, and a free meal. The course material, however, didn’t show up immediately. It was one of those ‘wing it’ opportunities, so each table had one or two discussion leaders from the church, and we started with the basics (or what we guessed was the basics of the Alpha course from those who had ordered the material). We started with ‘Who is God?’, then ‘Who is Jesus’.
The experience of those eight to ten weeks of courses has lingered long in my memory. I learned lessons. Such as, if you are sitting in a circle, do not stretch your feet out in front of you—it is an insult to face the bottom of your shoe toward a Middle Eastern. I learned the Chinese are inclined to say yes to everything. ‘Do you understand?’ … ‘Yes.’ Or, no…
Many who came were interested in learning about God, but conflicted, because for them to accept Christ, even miles away from home, meant more than an agreement between them and God—it could mean persecution—of them or their family. There is a cost.
There are more stories I could tell, but there is one thing that struck my heart deeply during a discussion. That telling others about Christ—is what we are made for. In sharing the gospel, I felt a deep sense of fulfillment, purpose, joy and service. Rarely have I had a revelation of truth so intense.
About the absentee course materials—it made us pray, or at the least it made me pray, quite desperately, for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and it caused us to delve into scripture so that questions might be answered clearly and plainly as possible.
Not often, as believers, do we have the opportunities that were presented in that class. Or do we? Certainly we have opportunities. Perhaps the question is whether we take advantage of the opportunities God gives us. I think I have, deliberately, turned a blind eye toward those around me who might want to hear the story of how Jesus has loved me, and how He has loved them. With this realization has come a greater need for the Holy Spirit to teach me, an increase of my thirst for His words, and a desire to be prepared.
It is time for me to step out of my comfort zone, and I have asked God to show me how. In response, I believe, He has begun to show me His heart. He loves us.
So completely.
Joanna's Words 