Keeping on Course No Matter Our Feelings
(March 23, 2004)

      By Fern Horst

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." (John 3:16-20)

Not long ago someone told me the story of how her husband became a follower of Christ. He was watching football on TV and saw someone with a sign that read, "John 3:16." Curious, he got up and found a Bible, read verses 16-20, and believed!

Chills went up and down my spine as I thought of that person at the football game who unabashedly held up a sign with "John 3:16" written on it. I wonder, did he have to battle within himself about taking such a sign to the stadium? Was he embarrassed at all to be holding a sign that had nothing to do with football on it? Did he feel the urging of the Holy Spirit to take the sign and was obedient, in spite of a few misgivings?

Whatever his thoughts and feelings were, the important thing is that God used his obedience and simple testimony on a sign to bring another person, sitting in his living room at home, to faith in Jesus Christ.

It made me wonder how many seemingly little things that God prompts me to do reap bigger results than I'll ever know, at least on this side of heaven. The person holding that sign will likely never know what transpired that day as a result of his sign. But he doesn't need to know in order to keep on being obedient and faithful to what God calls him to do.

And neither do we.

This is one of those days when I feel discouraged about God's plan for me for right now. Perhaps I'm doing too much comparing of what others have and I don't, and forgetting to look at what I have been blessed with. But no matter my feelings, God does have a purpose for me today. My part is to fulfill that purpose and trust that the results of my obedience are more far-reaching than I can imagine -- and far more important than the earthly things I'm pining for today.

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (Galatians 6:9)

© 2004 Fern Horst
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