Scripture: "Be careful to live properly among
your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong,
they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God
when he judges the world." (1 Peter 2:12).
An older woman was in the hospital, recovering from an accident.
Her nurse noticed that her family came to visit every day, and that all
of them, including the patient, were full of joy, in spite of her
condition.
One day, one of these visitors gathered the group for prayer, and asked the nurse to join them as well.
No one had ever offered to pray with the nurse, and, having no
religious beliefs, she felt very awkward. Yet, she felt compelled to
stay, and she closed her eyes with the others.
The man started by praising the God they were talking to, then
requested healing for the patient. He prayed in simple, everyday
language, like a child sharing his needs with a loving father. She
became so immersed in the atmosphere that she almost missed it when he
paused. She looked up and realized that he was asking her name. He shut
his eyes to continue the prayer, asking God to bless and guide her! As
the prayer came to an end, she was overcome with emotion as she realized
that this stranger cared for her!
Through her tears, she explained that she knew something was missing
from her life -- was prayer the secret to their joy? They explained that
it wasn't the prayer, but Whom they prayed to, that brought them joy.
And it wasn't secret or mysterious; they willingly told her how she
could come to know God through His Son, Jesus Christ. The man who had
prayed gave her his contact information so she could learn more. It
turned out he was not a family member, but the pastor of their church.
The family rejoiced with the nurse as she placed her faith in Jesus.
Their joyful, loving attitudes had made a huge impression on her, and
now she too knew the source of their peace and joy.
Do people turn to God because of how they see you living?
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