HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."
Hebrews 10:22 NIV

The theme for the women's retreat was "A Heart of Service." One of the sessions dealt with recalling someone who has impacted our life for Christ. The purpose of this exercise was to encourage us in doing good deeds and to remind us of the value of serving others.

As I reflected upon this, I thought of the young woman who had taught me what God had to say about sin - that it is punishable by eternal death in hell. She also shared the Good News, that God loved me so much that while I was still a sinner, Christ died to pay the price for my sins. She was a part of that glorious moment when I acknowledged my sin and separation from God and accepted Jesus as my Savior. This happened years ago, and it has been nearly twenty years since I last saw her. Because she has not been a part of my growth, nor been able to watch me develop, it might be easy for her to overlook the significance of that work. I decided to write her a note of thanks and listed some of the fruit that resulted from her act of love toward me.

I recalled that my sins were forgiven and I am no longer separated from God. I have the benefits and blessings that come with being His child and the assurance that I will spend my eternity with Him. Our four children know Him as their Lord and Savior and serve Him in various ways. So far we have four grandchildren who are being taught His ways and are being nurtured to trust Jesus. We have lived our faith in front of many unsaved relatives and sometimes have had the opportunity to share our beliefs. A few have made professions of faith.

Working alongside my husband in the benevolence ministry has afforded me the opportunity to do small acts of encouragement for other believers and to be a part of sharing the Gospel and Biblical Truths to live by with countless individuals who seek assistance.

I have shared the Gospel message with numerous women and children and seen the harvest of a few and had the opportunity to help others learn His Truths through various ministries. As I head in women's ministry, I have been focused on equipping leaders to reach and teach others for God's glory.

By touching my life for Christ, this woman has had a hand in touching all of these lives. How many lives.... only God knows, but He definitely receives glory through the work that has been done. I am grateful she shared Christ with me that day. As I attempted to acknowledge the eternal value of her work, so as to encourage her, I found that God had used it to inspire me to become more "Kingdom minded." We may never know the extent to which our courage to share the Gospel can reach! It seems like such a small investment to yield such a large return!

Lord, ignite a passion in me to build your Kingdom! - Amen

Written by
Liz Anderson