I was sitting on the front porch with Henry one day.
As was his custom, he was in a rocking chair, and reading his Bible.
He was telling me about how wonderful a life he had lived, when suddenly he looked very sad.
He looked up to the sky, and started to pray.

Lord,
I came to know you through Jesus Christ a long time ago.
Oh, I wasn't the best of Christians many times, but I always tried to listen,
hoping you would tell me how I could serve you.
I wanted so much to repay all of the wonderful blessings you have given me.

I haven't been a preacher, a gospel singer, a bible teacher, a youth leader, 
or a missionary.
I've never been any of the kind of persons I thought you would ask me to be.
I studied the bible, prayed, and listened very hard,
but YOU NEVER ASKED me to serve you.
I'm afraid I've let you down, and now there's no time left in my life to 
make a difference for you.

I heard the Lord answer:

Henry my dear dear friend,

Remember when you helped that hitchhiker get gas for his car.
He tried to pay you, but you said to thank God for letting you be there,
and to do the same for someone else someday.
After work that night, he picked up a bible for the first time in years, 
and started to read.
When he put the bible down, he asked Jesus into his life.
Today he runs an outreach center and looks for ways to help everyone he can.
He never accepts payment. 
Instead he tells them to thank God, and do the same for someone else someday.

Remember when your pastor asked if your printing company could print 
the newsletter for one week while the regular printer was on vacation?
I wanted your friend the typesetter to read my message that week.
She is here beside me right now.  We both thank you very much.

Remember when you were a teenager, working as a dishwasher at your first job?
Do you remember the brother and sister who came to the back door of the restaurant, 
and asked for food?  
You paid for a meal for them, and arranged for a friend at your church to come 
pick them up and give them a warm bed for the night.
They also asked Jesus into their lives. 
Today, he is an evangelical preacher taking my message all over the world.
She married a minister and travels with both her husband and her brother, 
helping to share my word.
They both have helped many find Jesus.

All of those Bibles you purchased from flea markets and yard sales then 
gave away have been in the hands of more people and families than you can count.  
I wanted all of these folks to have a chance to read my word, and most have 
accepted Jesus into their lives.

Every day and every night, you have prayed for so many people 
you didn't even know, that they would find me and get to know me 
through Jesus as you have.  
You have prayed for me through my will to help them with each of their 
problems, and for me to bring peace and forgiving grace to them.  
Your prayers have brought many to me Henry, and their prayers are bringing 
many more, and theirs many more.

Oh my dear friend, I have asked you these and hundreds of more times, 
and you never let me down.  
You always answered.  
You have made a wonderful difference, and served me very well.

Henry looked up at me, a tear running down his cheek, and a wonderful smile on his face.  
He looked down at his Bible, then reached over and handed it to me.  
As he did, the pages turned to: 
Romans 1:9 - "For god is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel 
of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;".

I looked back up at Henry.  His chin was on his chest, and the rocker had stopped rocking.

I heard Angels singing and the Lord say: Welcome home my dear friend,  Welcome home.




How are you doing in service to our Lord in your life?
Are you praying with total committment for God to use you as He knows best?
Are you trying to listen, and do as you know He would have you to?

God loves each of us very much. 
He knows us personally, and has wonderful plans that only
we as the person that we are can do for Him.  
Some will be preachers, evangilists, missionaries, singers, and other public roles.
Some will work with food banks, soup kitchens, clothing ministries,
street ministries, prison outreaches, 
and so many other things that God needs help with.
And some of us will serve Him purely by the life we lead, 
our actions, our example, our love for each other, and by allowing the light of Jesus 
to spring forth from everything we do.  Open  yourself to God's will. 
Do as Jesus would do. Love everyone as God loves you.  

Mabye, just mabye, your God's "Henry", and through His works in you, 
many many people will come to know the wonderful love our Father has
for each one of them.

Romans 1:9 - "For god is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel 
of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;"

May God lead and bless you in all that you do.
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