Thoughtful Thursday 

Keep Asking

Years ago, my husband and I had a houseboat on Norris Lake, in Tennessee. As it so happened, a relative of ours also owned a houseboat on Norris lake. I will call him, “Bob.”

Bob was a good guy. He was a hardworking man, who provided well for his family. After working all week long, Bob and his family would spend the weekends on the lake, enjoying lake life. 

We, also worked hard all week. My husband worked for the electric company, and I taught school. In addition to that, we owned a store. When we weren’t working our regular jobs, we were usually at the store. We developed a routine of leaving work on Friday evening, driving over to the lake, and spending a relaxing Saturday fishing, eating and boating. On Sunday mornings, we would get up early, leave about six o’clock, ride our little boat to the dock, shimmy up the bank where our car was parked, and come home to get ready for church.

Every Sunday morning, as we passed Bob’s houseboat on our way to our car, Bob would be sitting on his deck, drinking coffee. He would throw up his hand and say, “Good morning!” We would wave back and say, “Go to church with us!” Now, Bob didn’t go to church. He wasn’t raised in church, and had only been to one for a wedding or a funeral. “Not today,” he would answer.

This routine repeated itself week after week. “Go to church with us,” we’d call out as we passed. “Not today,” he would answer. Week after week turned into a year, then another, then several. His answer was always the same.  “Not today.”  Then, one morning, after almost ten years, we were heading out to climb the bank to our car. “Good morning,” Bob called as he waved at us. “Go to church with us,” we called back. “I might just do that sometime,” replied Bob.

Wha-a-a-t??? We climbed the steep embankment in silence. My husband started the car, and we pulled away. In a really quiet voice, I said, “Did he say what I think he said?”  “I think he did,”  my husband answered.

Bob began to ask questions, at first about church, then later, about becoming a Christian. Eventually, he began visiting our little church. He talked with the pastor. He was listening and learning. He came to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and my husband had the honor of baptizing him. Bob died just a few months after being baptized. Before he did, he would often say, “I’d like to do something nice for this little church.”

And he did. Bob owned a paving company. Our church parking lot was graveled at that time, but had never been paved. Bob’s crew came and paved our parking lot. Now, every Sunday, when we walk across that parking lot, we are walking across a memory that will stay with us for a lifetime.

Galatians 6:9 tells us, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Is there someone that you know who needs Jesus? Is there some way that you can be a witness, or an example to them? Sometimes, we see the fruit  of our efforts, through the Holy Spirit, rewarded in a short time. Sometimes, it may take years. Keep asking…and praying…and witnessing.  Keep asking!

Have a great Thursday!