Do you ever ask yourself what opportunities do I have to witness my faith?
Here in Elmsett we have a friendly and caring village community. We often, as a community, ask what the needs of that community are. Perhaps we are complacent and comfortable enough to think we do not share the needs that become more visible and obvious in the big towns or cities.
This error was brought home to me recently over just one weekend, with three God given opportunities.
We were just about to start Sunday worship when a young woman walked through the church doors. She was not known to anyone in the church, and told our welcome steward that she had gone to the village community shop in the hope that it was open as she was running low on various provisions. (The shop is closed on Sundays). So she decided to come to the church to seek help. Having chatted with her and arranged to take her to the local supermarket, she came and joined us in Sunday worship.
At the end of the Service, as we were serving refreshments, two men on bicycles came in asking if there was anywhere nearby they could get a coffee!
One of our church members had described to me in our earlier prayer group, how he had been sat next to a man at our Saturday coffee morning. There were flyers for a forthcoming Sunday Worship Service. “What’s this about?” the man asked. Paul then took up this opportunity of how he had come to faith.
Three simple opportunities over the space of two days, that were not sought out but truly God given.
Prayer: Generous and loving Father, thank you that you put opportunities our way. Forgive us when we let them pass by, and help us to be able to speak up and act out our faith in simple ways. AMEN