I Missed Out On A Blessing!

Yesterday it rained, and I left my car lights on. I got a jump but had to leave the car on for at least 30 minutes.

So, last night I stopped into the church to pray and left the car running in the lot. Cathy wanted me home by 8 PM, but it seemed like the right thing to do. It turns out it was an opportunity to serve God.

I was leaving several minutes after 8 when a young lady stopped me. She asked me about the high school ministry, and I told her what little I knew (I'm new). Her cell phone was out of minutes, she didn't have a home phone, so there would be no way to contact her when she left.

She mentioned she was getting baptized on the 16th, and I responded with, "great, here at church?" Her answer was simple, "No, at the LDS church down the street. I just want to make sure it is the right thing to do. I thought I should learn more before I get baptized."

I was behind a counter, looking for a church bulletin when she said that. Conflicting thoughts went through my head... what now? I need to make sure she doesn't leave without hearing the Good News. I asked her to wait and got an elder and told him what I knew as he followed me to meet the girl. "She wandered in...getting baptized...LDS church...wants to know more."

I introduced them and left the building, praying quickly. I thought, "I should tell Cathy I can't come home right now", but then I realized I had told her I would be home at 7, then 7:30, then 8... now it was 8:15, and I still wasn't home. I called her and we prayed together for the girl. I reassured her I was actually on my way home, now.

I'm not sure if I made a mistake in leaving. On the one hand, the girl was in good hands. On the other, I wanted to be there to see that she received the Good News. I had promised my wife I would be home over a hour ago, but then a soul was in the balance of eternity. Then again, she was being told the Gospel, just not by me.

I think that's what it boiled down to... My wife needs my at home, the girl didn't need me to be saved. But I wanted to be the one that led her to the Lord. Where do I draw the line between letting other (capable, intelligent, Spirit-filled) Christians do ministry I can/want to do and fulfilling my obligations to my wife?

The story ends happily for the girl: she became a believer last night and was introduced to those praying in the sanctuary. I hope to meet her on Sunday. I'm just sorry I wasn't there for the whole thing, even though God used me to connect her to the church.