BBD 06.02.09 Inconvenient
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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06.02.09
Inconvenient
For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. "What do you think?
If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave
the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?
And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over
that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is
not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones
should perish. - Matthew 18:11-14.
I read an amazing story this morning that happened in Bridgeport,
Connecticut; a bride who had just left her wedding reception spotted thick
smoke coming from a house. Georgette Fogary Clemons yelled at her friend
Hanifah Bost, "Stop the car, stop the car." Even though Georgette was still
wearing her wedding dress, she got out of the car and ran through the thick
smoke into the house. She could see that someone was in the house and when
they failed to come out after she shouted at them, she went in after them.
Hanifah ran after her and said later, "I don't know what she was thinking,
she had just gotten married." Because of Georgette's heroics the family was
able to escape the inferno that soon erupted and everyone is okay. But
Georgette did not stop there, she ran next door to warn the neighbors too.
After it was all over Georgette said, "My shoes got messed up, but what are
you going to do? At least the people are OK."
(There is a photo of Georgette posted at ConnPost dot com along with a
story. At least one TV station has a video about this and there are a huge
number of other media that are reporting, and blogs that have been written,
also telling about this incredible story.)
It was terribly inconvenient for Georgette to disrupt her plans and become a
heroine saving the lives of those in the burning house. Georgette had plans
but those plans were changed when she saw the danger that an unknown family
was in. She rushed in risking her own life to save the lives of people that
she had never met. She could have lost her life, she did have her wedding
day schedule changed, and it is likely that the course of her own life has
been changed because of her heroic actions too.
It is usually inconvenient and even sometimes dangerous to share the gospel
with the lost. There are times when we can make plans and approach our
friends and relatives at a time that is comfortable for us and for them.
However, that rarely happens, and we have to take advantage of opportunities
that are presented or make opportunities to present the gospel. Sometimes it
is awkward, and sometimes it is terribly inconvenient but the Spirit within
us, compels us to say the words that will bring eternal life.
Often the opportunities to reach the lost will be thrust upon us
unexpectedly just as Georgette unexpectedly found herself trying to save a
family from the fire. I pray that we will have the courage to take advantage
of those opportunities. Jesus came "to save that which was lost." If we are
His children surely we will try to do the same, even if we have to leave the
comforts of our usual life to do it.
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