Working as a nurse in a Muslim country has been difficult. I am not
always able to speak out plainly but my lifestyle; the way I work, preaches the
gospel. Continue to live such
upright lives among the gentiles that, when they slander you as practicers of
evil, they may see your good actions and glorify God when he visits them 1Pt 2:12(ISV). I was working in
the dialysis unit for several years. One of my patients was a Muslim. He had
been under my care for about five years. One day he spoke to me while I was
working and asked if I was a Christian. I was surprised and answered that I am.
He then went on, “Why is it you
Christians say Jesus Christ is a priest and also the Lord?” I was not
expecting the question. I told him the right answer to that question determines
whether he would go to heaven or hell. “Is
that so?” he said. “Yes” I
answered. “Do you want to know more?”
I asked him. Be ready at all
times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, but do
it with gentleness and respect 1Pt 3:15-16(GNB). He answered “Yes”, and I told him the response would take me more than thirty
minutes so I would have to round up my work. In the morning sow thy
seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether
shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good Eccl 11:6(KJV).
When I finished the work I then went to him and spoke to him about
Jesus. I told him Jesus is going to be the judge of all. That one day when He
comes every one with a knee will bow down and confess that Jesus Christ is the
Lord. God has
overlooked the times when people did not know him, but now he commands all of
them everywhere to turn away from their evil ways. For he has fixed a day in
which he will judge the whole world with justice by means of a man he has
chosen. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising that man from death! Act 17:30-31(GNB). I encouraged him not to wait until his dying day to confess Jesus as
Lord. He asked me how he could do that so I instructed him on what to do. We
parted ways and I was not in contact with him for a while.
I learnt he died about a year after that encounter. I later went on to
become a fulltime worker in ministry. Someone asked me why I wanted to leave
ministering to patients and get into that. For a while I did not know how to
answer. Then the Lord made me know it was a matter of obedience. He is the
captain of the service and decides where each one of us should serve. I have officers who give orders to me, and I have
soldiers who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, 'Go!' and he goes.
I can say to another, 'Come!' and he comes. I can say to my servant, 'Do this!'
and he will do it." Mat 8:9
He wanted me in full service and refusal would be disobedience to the
master. So here I am.
Bernice (a
pseudonym) is from Indonesia
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