The first opportunity has been a series of conversations and actually began over a month ago. I was telling a classmate a story from my weekend and mentioned CEC (College Evangelism Conference). She then asked what that was and then expressed a desire to get involved in a church. Well, I'm a little slow to act, but about 2 weeks later I sent her a message inviting her church and the BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministry) if she was interested. About a week and a half ago before class started we were talking and she thanked me for the message. As we continued to talk about church and worship another classmate joined in. It brought so much joy to hear another classmate talking about her faith and having a personal relationship with God!
The opportunity was right there, in simply telling about my weekend. As I mentioned in a previous post, you don't have to search hard for opportunities. I'm not advocating living blindly and only waiting for the seemingly perfect opportunity to just pop up right in front of you. Yes, you should continue to seek out ways to share Christ, but be aware that many of those ways are already right there in your everyday, normal happenings. That's part of missions. Missions isn't just a trip or during holidays and breaks. Missions is a lifestyle. Missions is living for Christ and making Him known daily. Making the most of every opportunity. Let us heed what Paul said to the people at Colosse:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:2-6The second opportunity brought to mind part of the MasterLife Bible study. One of the days of the study talks about praying the names of God. Here is what it says about Yahweh:
Yahweh signifies the God who is with you all the time. God used the name to reveal Himself to Moses in Exodus 3. When God said to Moses, " 'I AM WHO I AM,' " He was probably saying in effect, "Go and do what you are told, for I am with you" (see Ex. 3:14). Have you been aware of His presence when you believed that He was asking you to do something difficult?
I don't think it wasn't something difficult the Lord was asking me to do but it shocked me. After it happened I was surprised wondering if that really just happened. If you know me, you know I don't talk much. I'm pretty quiet and reserved. I tend to give brief responses. While I was getting gas on Friday a man, Kenneth, approached me. He told me some story about his mom dying and some other stuff and asked if I could give him some money for gas. I told him I didn't have any money I could give him. Before I knew what I was saying I asked, "Kenneth, can I pray for you?" He said yes and right there at the gas station I prayed with Kenneth. Never in my life have I ever done something like that. It didn't even cross my mind until about 5 minutes later as I'm driving away how unlike me that was and that that actually just happened. I was surprised but thanked the Lord for the opportunity and for not giving me fear.
Finally (but not really because even since this another opportunity has come up), Monday I asked somebody if they would be interested in playing in BCM Bowl. I was expecting to have to really try and convince him to play. I told him about it and that it was for missions and his response was, "That's a great cause," and he'd think about it. I gave him all the information I had about it, talked about missions, and invited him to the BCM. He agreed to play! Then today, someone else who overheard me asking him about playing in the game asked about it. They know some people that might be interested.
Maybe nothing else will come out of these opportunities. I don't share all of them to brag or try and make myself seem extra righteous. I share them because they have shown me there is nothing to fear and it's not that hard. The opportunities are there. The past few days I've been absolutely giddy about how good God is and I've had God is so Good playing in my head many a times.
God is so good.
God is so good.
God is so good.
He's so good to me.
God is so good.
God is so good.
He's so good to me.
How many times can I say opportunity in one post?
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