Snatched Up
／Hsiao Ching
As newly appointed Director of Youth, I was introduced to a student that was searching. It was the middle of the day when I met Sean and presented the message of salvation to him. Right there, he made a commitment to Jesus Christ.
After we prayed, Sean asked if I would baptize him right away, outside the church by the lake. He was anxious to be obedient and share his newly found faith in front of his friends.
So, as he requested, without hesitation or a change of clothes, we both went into the water. As I pulled him out of the water and he was able to stand on his own, I suddenly found myself on dry ground.
It was such an odd thing. I remember last seeing his face in the water, then in a moment's time, the Holy Spirit snatched me away and I found myself standing in a market place among hundreds of people in a different city.
What happened? Why was I taken away so quickly? Did God know what He was doing? I didn't even get to say goodbye to Sean. I had to first get him involved in a bible study, a good church. There was so much more to do. It doesn't seem fair that God just interrupted us like this!
Sounds crazy doesn't it? But what you just read is based on a true story in the Bible. Phillip, the faithful servant in the Book of Acts, was suddenly snatched up and sent to another place to continue his ministry.
This story is important to me because I just started a new job in a church, I moved my whole family to another state far away, and mow I think God is calling me else where. I pray to him, "it has only been nine months God", "I have more work to do!"
Then I realized a few things.
1. In His time means, just that, He calls and controls the stop watch of life.
2. God is NOT a God of convenience. He will intrude and interrupt my life. That doesn't mean it is a bad thing, just unpredictable. (And that is how I want it!)
3. God doesn't make sense to me all the time. If I understood everything, I would be God!
4. It is all God's work and I am dispensable. There are others God will send to work in the fields, not everything is dependent on me. (I like to think it is)
5. The reasons I have for wanting to stay longer at one place is for security and mostly embarrassment. The same old thought of, "What will people think?' Can you relate? Is God telling you to go somewhere, do something that doesn't "fit" into your time table or your plan for the rest of your life? Are you hesitant to follow because it doesn't make sense to you?
If you claim to follow Christ, you have no excuse. Just enjoy the ride because some day you too will be snatched up
