John 9:39 - Amazing Grace

I love it when God blesses my procrastination. Sometimes he shows me that pushing deadlines and putting off my "to do" list is actually his restraining hand at work. (Note: sometimes it's not!)

In Journey to Confidence: Becoming Women Who Witness, the author has us write out several verses that are useful in witnessing, and encourages us to commit them to memory so we can call them to mind by the Holy Spirit when given the opportunity to share the Gospel. "Great," I thought, "I'll use these as my memory verses for the next few months, and I don't have to worry about what to choose for a while." (As if I'm the one doing the choosing!) So I wrote them all in my index card book and was planning on posting Romans 10:9-10 on 15th...

...but Friday came and went........then Saturday came and went....I knew on Sunday I had to get this out of the way - both this entry and my quick sign-in post on the LPM blog, both of which are serving as accountability motivation on my scripture memory journey.

So on the 17th I got up at 6, got my first cup of coffee and settled in the family room with my One Year Bible, thinking I'd knock out the day's reading, then knock out this post. And wouldn't you know it, by the end of the reading God had given me a completely different verse to memorize! It comes near the end of the May 17 New Testament passage:

Then Jesus told him, "I have come to judge the world. I have come to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind." John 9:39 (NLT)

This verse jumped off the page at me, and I immediately realized its value in my "witnessing repertoire", if you will. You see, this scripture addresses the number one cause for my reluctance to share my faith, which is that I believe, mistakenly or otherwise, that most people think they're just fine, that they're "good people," and that that's enough for this life and the next. Who am I to suggest to them that they are lacking? That there's more? That they are unsaved sinners? Yet these are the very ones about whom Jesus is speaking here - those who think they see, who think they have it all under control, who believe that as long as they're less wicked than the next guy and do some good deeds here and there that everything will turn out alright for them.

What's more, I was once one of those wretches who didn't know she was blind till after she could see.

I now realize it's not my responsibility to convince people they need Jesus. Conviction falls under the Holy Spirit's job description. And according to Walt Larrimore and Bill Peel, authors of Going Public with Your Faith, I don't need to be an expert witness with all the answers to all the questions. I just need to be a material witness and testify to what I've seen and heard and what I know to be true. In this case, I know that Jesus said his purpose was to open the eyes of the blind. And I know that since I've been studying the Bible and walking with God, my life is so much easier and more joyful and more meaningful than when I thought I knew it all.

Wish I'd known this years ago...

...but at least I know it now and can teach my kids this and other biblical truths about choosing friends:

He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)

See my neat new widget on the right? This is counting down the minutes till I go to Houston for Beth Moore's special event for all the LPM Scripture Memory particpants. She claims that we're going to have to recite at least 10 verses to get in the door, but I have trouble believing that they'd actually turn people away. However, I'll be armed (with the sword of the Spirit!) and ready should I have to prove my eligibility. I've been reviewing and rehearsing all my year-to-date verses. Beth says they'll give prizes to those who can recite all 24 verses, and I'm planning on claiming my prize!

I've always been in awe of people who could quote chapter and verse, and now, thanks to Beth Moore's challenge, my accountability to you ThySpace readers, and my motivating countdown widget, I now have 9 verses under my belt - the belt of truth, that is! Hmmm, perhaps Ephesians 6 should be next...