Those Who Wait

I did something yesterday I never do. I opened my door to engage in discussion with a Jehovah's Witness. I am never mean to them, but I know they don't believe Jesus is Lord, and so why bother talking with them? But it struck me: IF Jesus IS Lord, as I believe, and they DON'T believe that, then they are doomed. I MUST talk with them. I am morally and spiritually BOUND to talk to them.

So I took my Bible, and my Concordance, and kicked my trepidation aside, opening the door. The man was very polite, and very well dressed, as they always are. He had a big smile, and a pleasing demeanor, as they always do.

Until.

Until I pulled out my Concordance, finding the Greek and Hebrew derivations of the words in the verses he quoted, and showed him that his beliefs could not be supported by scripture. He began to sputter and something happened that I have never seen in a Jehovah's Witness before. He got angry. And he said he  had to go, to meet his friend. And he walked away, unable to tell me why the word "Lord" used to describe "The Father" in Luke 10:21 was the same derivation of the word "Lord" used to describe Jesus in Ephesians 1:3. There really could be no other conclusion (at least to me) but that Jesus IS God. He didn't seem to like that.

Then I went to draw a picture for my blog. I used the art program that seems to require more memory than my computer has. It took FOREVER between every brush stroke. If I rushed it, the program crashed. I was becoming very impatient. And I realized, God was sending me a message. Every stroke took time, before I could do the next stroke. Similarly, every mark one draws for God needs time (usually) before becoming a masterpiece. Rushing rarely produces the results one wants (In my art program, the computer crashed in fact when I tried to hurry on to the next paint stroke before the last one had "settled.") It is sometimes slow going, but I must trust that God is not going to abandon the picture until it is complete.

This morning I had a note from a Facebook friend. She told me she knew of a Jehovah's Witness who was angry for a full year after an encounter with someone similar to my encounter yesterday. And then God convicted him so strongly, that the man believed Jesus was indeed Lord and his eternal fate was sealed in Heaven. The former Jehovah Witness was her husband.
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Romans 12:12 

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Romans 8:25 

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Galatians 6:9 

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Psalm 37:7-9 

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

Jeremiah 29:11 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.