Phone Calls

(The names of the individuals listed below, have been changed to respect their privacy.)

Phone calls are a part of everyday life. Some days I get more phone calls than others, and there are days when my "to do" list includes making several phone calls. At the beginning of the week, I was the one making the phone calls. I left several messages and by the time I made my final call, was expecting to speak to another answering machine. I was surprised when Tracy answered her phone.


A few days ago, my husband and I had been asked to visit Tracy and her boyfriend, Luke. They had visited our church a few weeks prior, and had filled out a visitor's card asking for more information about our church, indicating a need for special prayer, and that each one was seeking a better relationship with God. It's pretty incredible when someone takes the time to fill out a visitor's card, let alone ask for prayer. We wanted to make this visit as soon as we were able.

When we pulled into the driveway, it was apparent that no one was home. That fact was confirmed when we climbed the steps to the front door and received no response after knocking. Disappointed, we headed back to the car. We left a gospel tract from our church, with a short message mentioning that we had stopped by. Back in the car, I made a note on the visitation report that I'd try calling Tracy early the next week.

When Tracy answered her phone and shared what had been going on in her life, I could only praise God for His goodness. The very night that we had come by to visit them, Luke had called Tracy to let her know he needed to talk to a pastor immediately. He couldn't wait until Sunday, he wanted to speak to someone that night. Luke went to meet with a pastor that Tracy knew, and after asking several questions and receiving godly counsel from the Bible, Luke put his faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Luke realized he was a sinner and that Christ had died for him (Rom. 3:23, Rom 5:8). By shedding His blood for all mankind, Christ had made the ultimate sacrifice to pay Luke's sin debt (Heb. 9:22). Christ was extending the gift of eternal life to Luke (Rom. 6:23). He only had to have faith to receive the gift (Eph. 2:8-9). In humility, he bowed his head, confessed his sin and proclaimed his belief in Christ's completed work on the cross in his behalf. Luke became a child of God.

Tracy told me that they had visited a lot of churches and that Luke had been discouraged in the past, when no one from those churches had taken the time to visit them. Within the past week, people from two different churches had visited or called. As I think of my initial discouragement when it seemed we had made a 'fruitless' visit, I'm reminded that God can do "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." (Eph. 3:20, KJV)

God was able to use the placement of a gospel tract to reassure Luke of his salvation and bring encouragement to him. Galatians 6:9 speaks volumes to me as I determine not to be "weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (KJV) My husband and I have the opportunity to encourage this couple to grow in the Lord due to leaving a gospel tract at Luke's home and making a phone call to Tracy. Are you willing to take the opportunities that God gives you, knowing that He can take your efforts and multiply them beyond your wildest imaginations? I pray your answer will be, 'Yes!'