I love those who love Me,
And those who seek Me diligently will find Me.
Proverbs 8:17 (NKJV)
Series: Hands and Feet
If you’ve ever thrown a party or hosted an event that required sending invitations, you have probably set an RSVP date. While waiting for those to roll in, you may have wondered if there would be a good turnout. Or even asked yourself,”What if no one shows up?” It is easy to get caught up in how many are attending and whether people are responding in a timely manner. For this type of invitation, it is perfectly normal to be attentive to those things.
When seeking Jesus or offering an invitation to know Him as Savior, we learn in scripture that even one person who comes to know Him is cause for celebration. RSVP dates aren’t required and numbers don’t matter. Souls do. Jesus Himself taught us this in Luke 15:1-7 (NIV) when He shared the parable of the lost sheep:
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
I love that Jesus talks intentionally about how every sheep matters. I mostly love it because, like you, I was one of those lost sheep He reached out to rescue. And maybe you too are grateful there wasn’t a deadline to miss. God is compassionate and patient with us. He will pick us up on His shoulders anytime we are ready. We must remember this when we are called from our comfort zones to share with others the love of Christ. We are vessels for Him to use, not the ones who do the saving. He handles those details Himself.
In Acts 16:13-15 (NIV), we see firsthand how the Holy Spirit spoke to Paul through a vision and redirected his journey to avoid preaching in the province of Asia. In the vision, Paul encountered a man of Macedonia who begged him to come help them. After Paul had seen the vision, he and his companions left at once for Macedonia. This is where they encountered some women by the river praying on the Sabbath.
On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
It is a beautiful reflection of Paul’s obedience to go where God led so that one woman, who heard the gospel and responded, would then lead her household to receive Jesus as Savior and be baptized. Lydia, as the head of her household and a business woman, showed her generosity and hospitality by inviting Paul and his companions to stay at her home while they were preaching there.
Let’s rejoice in Lydia’s excitement for the gospel and let her inspire us to move beyond belief to a life of faith and action. Let us use our means, resources, and influence to seek Jesus, serve God, and go wherever He leads us. We never have to wonder if there are “enough” people listening or gathering; we go for the one Jesus has set before us.
Holding Fast to Hope,
Jen
Scripture References: Proverbs 8:17; Luke 15:1-7; Acts 16:6-15; Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; 1 John 3:17-18