But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter 3:15

For the second year in a row, our vacation started with a blown-out tire.  After an hour, a tow truck reached us on the side of the road, driven by Michael, a 23-year-old with a big smile and refreshing friendliness.  As we settled into the truck’s air-conditioned cab, my husband asked Michael about the source of his great attitude, “That has to be from my grandma,” he quickly responded. “Grandma,” it turned out, was a lover of Scripture with open Bibles all throughout her home.

Michael began to share openly about his life and insecurities.  “I wish I could just talk to God,” he said, fighting back emotion.  “Oh, you can,” I gently explained, and I knew, in that moment, exactly why our tire had blown out, exactly when and exactly where, it had.

God had work to be done that hot summer afternoon and He chose a tire and us, to get a personal message of His love to one He is calling to Himself.       If you are a follower of Jesus, you are a coworker in God’s purposes.  He needs your mouth, your hands, your feet, which the Holy Spirit will gladly empower and direct, if they’re made available to Him.

Christians from the Moravian church pray a prayer that says, “Eternal Deliverer, we cannot comprehend your majesty, yet you treat us as coworkers in the eternal breadth of your labor.  Magnify the light you give us, even as we struggle to shine your light to others.”[1]

 

Resource reading: 1 Corinthians 3:8-17

[1] https://www.moravian.org/daily_texts/thursday-august-5-2021/