An important part of being a Christian is the time we spend alone with Jesus. Some delight in a fresh cup of coffee while reading a passage of Scripture and sitting in a comfortable chair in front of a picture window with a marvelous view every morning. It is wonderful!
But what about the harlot who was raised on the streets and doesn’t know any other way to make a buck? Does she need a coupon for free coffee and maybe some cream and sugar to save her body and soul from abuse and imminent destruction?
And what about the teen who is experimenting with alcohol and parties and sex to satisfy his changing body and broken home life? Does he need an easy chair to make the challenges of life more tolerable?
And what about the cowboy who works hard moving cattle all day and drinks even harder to pass his time away? He lives in that marvelous scenery of God’s country already. Does he need a bigger window to appreciate the view?
We could try bringing these three into our church to help them out. But, let’s be honest, they probably wouldn’t want to come. And, if we were to bring any of these three into our church on a Sunday, they would feel out of place. They wouldn’t know what to say or what to do. We wouldn’t either. If we managed to strike up a conversation, we would be speaking a different language. If we gave them a Bible, they wouldn’t know where to turn. When we start to sing, they wouldn’t know the tune. When we shake hands, we would pause on both sides of the handshake as we notice the clashing clothing, jewelry, and tattoo styles. And if the cowboy doesn’t take off his hat, what then? I think we can do better than extend a onetime invite to church.
What if we went to where they live and whispered “Jesus” in their ear? What if we told them about His cross and their Savior that is near? What if we offered them Jesus’ grace for their time of need? What if we prayed for their salvation on a knee? Then we might no longer be distracted by clothes or songs or language. Jesus could be our theme, our heart, and our message.
But this will take some time. We will have to go out and find them. We will have to interact with them. We will have to encourage them. We will have to go back again and again to overcome Satan’s excuses and distractions. How long will this take? Hours, not minutes. Weeks, not days. Years, not months. But that is ok. As sure as we can find time every day to sit and sip a hot cup of coffee with our Savior, God has given each one of us a lifetime to share our time with Jesus.
“Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” Luke 12:8