Ernest & Carmen

Caught up with an old high school friend J for lunch today. We've known each other since Yr 9, and he's one of the very few people I keep in touch with from school days. I have always wondered what my school friends think of me these days...they're the people who would know what I was like as a non-Christian, and be able to compare that to what I'm like now.

Would they see any differences?
Or do I still act like one of 'them'?

I've always been a pretty 'good' boy (from a worldy point of view) - obeying my parents, respecting my teachers, studying hard like every Asian kid should. Even though I had friends who like getting drunk and being stoned, I was always strong enough to resist them. I was not an 'obvious sinner'.

But perhaps it's people like me who are in the most danger. I had always thought I was ok. I didn't see any problems with my focus on study/career, and neither did anybody around me. Unknowingly, I deceived myself into thinking I'd get into heaven. And to add to the delusion, I believed in Jesus - but I had no idea (even now) what I believed about Jesus.

Today J gave me an answer. Not a complete answer, but an answer all the same. He asked me why I'm now so devoted to church and stuff. And I was able to share my testimony with him, and to explain the gospel within that. But like many of our previous conversations about Jesus, he only seemed to see it as an interesting story, and no more. He often shows a certain curiosity for Christianity, but always afraid to pursue it. Like a kid who wants to learn to swim, but only ever dips his toes in the water before jumping out again.

We chatted about various other things related to Christianity, and I invited him to meet up to read the Bible together. He turned me down, but I left him with an invitation to go the the launch of This Way Up. I really hope that he'll come so that he can keep hearing about the great news of salvation through Christ Jesus. Sometimes I feel that he is so close to saying 'yes', but something always holds him back.

Have mercy, O Lord.

<< Thank God for helping me to keep in touch with J all these years and to catch up with him today. Please pray that I can be bold in explaining the gospel to him and challenging him to take this message seriously. Pray that he will be willing to come to the CD launch and that it'll be useful in bringing him to faith and repentance. >>