The voicemail on my cell phone yesterday did not bode well. It was Eric, and he simply stated that I needed to call him back. I had been praying hard for his grandfather, who was not doing well after heart surgery. The abrupt nature of the message left me thinking the worst. I quickly called him back.
“Eric, it’s Sam. What’s up?”
“Sam, thanks for calling me back. You’re not going to believe this!”
His tone lifted my spirits and replaced the knot in my throat with a twinge of hope.
“Is everything ok?”
“Sam, I led my grandfather to Christ this morning.”
The knot in my throat came back, but this time the tears that began to well in my eyes were ones of joy. His breath was short with excitement, but he told me the details of his morning. He had received a call from his grandmother at 5AM. She told Eric to come to the hospital immediately. His grandfather’s heart had softened, and he wanted to know about Jesus. He rushed out of the house, only to be stopped in traffic early in the morning. An accident had shut down the entire interstate. He sat in his car for two grueling hours.
“Satan tried everything to keep me from the hospital, but I was determined to get there,” Eric said.
I could sense the tears in his eyes; I was on the verge of weeping myself. Traffic eventually cleared. Upon arriving, he hurried into his grandfather’s room. He detailed how he used Romans 10 to share the gospel message with his grandfather. He communicated the entire message. His grandfather’s repentance and acceptance of God’s grace Eric knew to be genuine.
“Sam, we were praying for physical healing. And God gave him eternal healing.”
My good friend was obedient to the Great Commission. The fact that most accept Christ before their mid-thirties clearly did not weigh on his mind as he shared the greatest gift with his grandfather.
While his grandfather has much physical healing left, he now has a new heart, one that he can credit to the grace of God and the obedience of his grandson, my friend Eric.
As we celebrate this Christmas season, opening gifts and spending time with our families, let’s take a moment to reflect on the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ. He came humbly, so that we might be saved eternally.
“Dude, I’m so stoked, I can hardly think straight,” Eric cheered.
I smiled on the other end of the phone, “Praise God, Eric, praise God.”
“Merry Christmas, my man.”
“Merry Christmas to you too.”
Thanks for the encouraging word Sam. I appreciate how you combine a solid research fact with a moving story. In a blogosphere of bad news, you really give us reason to celebrate good news.
Thanks for the encouraging word Sam. I appreciate how you combine a solid research fact with a moving story. In a blogosphere of bad news, you really give us reason to celebrate good news.
Don’t stop rockin while you’re on a roll, man! I love your stuff!
Don’t stop rockin while you’re on a roll, man! I love your stuff!
What a blessed reminder of what Christmas is really all about! Thanks for sharing that information 🙂 Your love for Jesus is so apparent in all you do! Have a Merry Christmas
What a blessed reminder of what Christmas is really all about! Thanks for sharing that information 🙂 Your love for Jesus is so apparent in all you do! Have a Merry Christmas
We read the story again this Christmas morning. Thanks for the reminder about what really matters.
We read the story again this Christmas morning. Thanks for the reminder about what really matters.
thank you for your thoughts and blogs love the meaning behind them. jesus loves and saves and i think all are getting it like me..some a lil slower than others like me, agian….still all in all we finally get it. i love the blogss keep em rolling out..and keep your cell phone on vibrate would you…haha merry christmas
thank you for your thoughts and blogs love the meaning behind them. jesus loves and saves and i think all are getting it like me..some a lil slower than others like me, agian….still all in all we finally get it. i love the blogss keep em rolling out..and keep your cell phone on vibrate would you…haha merry christmas
I like your blog, Sam. Keep up the good work. I look forward to hearing more from you.
I like your blog, Sam. Keep up the good work. I look forward to hearing more from you.
To Eric: Well done God’s good and faithful servent!
To Eric: Well done God’s good and faithful servent!
God bless you my brother. I feel your tender heart. The heart of Jesus. Be encouraged! Musiklaydee
God bless you my brother. I feel your tender heart. The heart of Jesus. Be encouraged! Musiklaydee
ppraise the Lord my brother. Praise God for your tender heart and sensitivity to His leading.
ppraise the Lord my brother. Praise God for your tender heart and sensitivity to His leading.
I really appreciate you sharing that story Sam. It’s inspiring to hear of someone sharing their faith and see God call out to one of his own, especially a relative. I think they are the hardest to share faith with.
I really appreciate you sharing that story Sam. It’s inspiring to hear of someone sharing their faith and see God call out to one of his own, especially a relative. I think they are the hardest to share faith with.
Lachlan, as a pastor I have heard many people tell me about trying to share their faith with close relatives, only to have the gospel message they are telling fall on deaf ears. I hope that Eric’s story will be an encouragement to anyone who has close friends or family who don’t know Christ. Keep praying, keep telling, and don’t ever give up.
Lachlan, as a pastor I have heard many people tell me about trying to share their faith with close relatives, only to have the gospel message they are telling fall on deaf ears. I hope that Eric’s story will be an encouragement to anyone who has close friends or family who don’t know Christ. Keep praying, keep telling, and don’t ever give up.