How amazing is our God?
Whether we are visible or not in our communities God is actively working through his Holy Spirit. By Cathy Buntin
Last year during lockdown I posted an article concerning a man who had recently moved into our community. Laird Street Baptist Church along with the local Anglican Church had sent cards of Hope to the community with a gospel message and contact details should anyone need any help. The card landed through the letterbox of this man who was contemplating taking his life, and upon reading the article he telephoned me. I was able to doorstep visit with a Bible and leaflets.
Following on from this, I kept in touch with him by telephone and text messages as the church was still unopen. He contacted me to say he had moved to another area but still kept in touch with me. After a few months I messaged him a couple of times but got no reply and eventually lost contact with him.
A couple of weeks ago he rang me to say he had recently moved down to the Lake District. I asked him how he was and he said he was feeling so much better and his anxiety had completely left him. I asked him if he was still reading the Bible and he said he hadn’t stopped. God has been speaking to him through His Word. I then asked him if he had found a local church to attend and he hadn’t. I said I would see if I could find out where the nearest church was and contact the minister. I didn’t have a clue or knew anyone in the area in which he had moved to.
I finished the call and sat and prayed Lord you brought this man into my life please help me to find a minister who will contact him and sow where we have reaped. Immediately I remembered the son of one of our previous ministers who was ministering in the Lakes, but wasn’t sure if it was in the area in which this man lived. I phoned him immediately and he looked up the address and miracle of miracles it was 1.1 miles away from his church.
The following day they had a soup day on so I contacted the man and he was delighted and said he would visit. I don’t know if he did but I do know this minister will make contact with him. Some sow, others reap, but the lesson I learned that day was whether we are visible or not in our communities God is actively working through his Holy Spirit. He doesn’t need us to do his work for him but he chooses to partner with us.
I don’t know where all this will lead but I do know this man was saved from taking his own life, all because two local churches agreed to send a card of encouragement and blessing to our community.
When doubt, despair and discouragement come your way, remember God is always working regardless of whether we see visible signs or not. He is faithful and his word never ever returns to him void. Be blessed by this simple story, I was and our fellowship at Laird Street were blessed because they had faithfully continued to pray for this man.
How amazing is our God?
Cathy Buntin is the minister of Laird Street Baptist Church, Birkenhead
Baptist Times, 16/09/2021