Urgency

 "...and ye shall be witnesses unto me..." Acts 1:8b

I received a prayer request via email this morning.  This is what it said:

    "If you could please pray for (----  ----).  Many of you know (...) and is in (hospital) and not expected to recover.  She is not saved."

I can understand the email, I can understand the purpose of the email, but the first question running through my mind was, "What are we supposed to pray for?  A painless entrance into hell?"

My second question was, "Did Pastor read this email and if so, is he going to go and visit this person?"

(Sad, isn't it, how we always expect the Pastor to handle situations like this?)

This email stirred something in my heart.

I've had emails similar to this in the past, but this time, I knew the Lord required something of me, because I knew this person.  This person is part of the community in which I live.

As I began to pace the floor, I began to sense an urgency; this person is on their death bed.  I asked, "Who is going to go witness to this person in the hospital?"

As soon as that question was presented before the Lord, He answered.

"You."

In the past, when the Lord spoke to me concerning things, He wants me to do, I wrestled with Him.  I kept asking, 'Are you sure you want me to do this Lord?'

This time there was no wrestling.  I simply obeyed.

I called the hospital and the nurse said that this person has to ok who her visitors are, "so what is your name?"

I gave her my name and waited for the call-back.  I was already thinking, 'I've put into motion what you want me to do, Lord, but I don't think this person will agree to see me.'

The Lord had other plans.

In less than a minute, I got the call; this person wanted me to see them.

I got my physical self-ready, then got my Spiritual self-ready, grabbed my bible and walked out the door.  I prayed all the way to the hospital.  I got half-way there and began to have a panic attack.

I prayed harder.

And the Lord answered.

God's hand was with me every step of the way.  He was in each word that I spoke, each verse that I read.  I witnessed, for the first time, to a person on their death bed, and shared Christ.

The decision is now up to them.

When I read this email this morning, there was an urgency I had never felt before to go and tell this person about Christ and how they can be saved.

I had to wonder why I don't feel this same urgency every day when I speak with my family, neighbors and friends?  Do I think I have all the time in the world to directly tell them about Jesus?  Do I think they have all the time in the world to choose?

I don't know how much longer this person has to live...

        But with every breath, there is still hope...

            But that's just me!

"If we understand what lies ahead for those who do not know Christ, there will be a sense of urgency in our witness."  David Jeremiah