He came to Jesus at night. (John 3:2)
IN THE LATE 1970s, I served as a youth pastor in Scott City, Missouri. After accepting Christ as their Savior, a young couple from western Illinois had a deep desire to grow in their faith. They looked for a church where they could become part of a small group and be mentored.
One day Jere and Ruth Ann located the church where I was serving, and they felt a tug to try it out. Upon being told that we had just started a small group for young adults, they decided to become part of our church body. Although they lived forty-five minutes away, their desire to be poured into caused them to make the extra effort to attend regularly. They were faithful, never missing church or our small group gathering. What a thrill it was to see them grow in their love for God!
As they grew in the Lord, their desire to serve Him grew as well. Jere felt a call from the Lord to enter into full-time ministry. He and Ruth Ann have pastored in Missouri and Indiana, and they have served as missionaries in the Cayman Islands and Ghana. As Jere put it, “How could I keep what God has done for me to myself?” Their extra effort helped shape Jere and RuthAnn to be wonderful servants of God.
Don’t just do what comes easily—make the extra effort to truly serve the Lord.
Jim Lo is the author of Connect with God: The Purpose of Prayer (WPH), coauthor of Unholiness (WPH), and the dean of chapel at Indiana Wesleyan University.
