Biblical
evangelism is a tough act because you deeply believe you have got the truth and
nothing but the whole truth. In a world with diverse and often contradictory religious
claims, the follower of Jesus has a huge challenge because Jesus claims that He
is the way, the truth, and the life: no-one comes to the Father except by Him
(John 14:6). From the practice of Jesus and His apostles, these claims do not necessarily
have to be argued or debated. They can just be stated as prescribed. And if a
city or someone was unwilling to accept them – you have a choice – leave or
leave them alone.
Whilst I am certain the Lord does not intend that we admit
failure at every first hurdle, He decisively encourages us not to see “our”
failure in such a case but a future outworking of God’s sovereign purposes as a
result of our failure. This lesson is instructive, perhaps, also in many areas
of life where we might give our best and still fail: we can fail but God can
never fail. We should trust God to work things out according to His sovereign
purposes. Then peace comes. Have you tried your best and failed? Be courageous,
admit it, shake the dust off your feet and move on. Move on to something new.
Remember,
“All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the
called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). May God turn your sorrow into
joy, your mourning into dancing, and your weeping into laughter. May God grant
you a testimony where you are currently going through a test. Amen.
