Loretta and George

After selecting a stack of prospect cards from the church’s visitation files, I headed out to do some door-to-door witnessing. I ended up standing at the door of someone’s “prospect” that had never been followed up. It was Loretta who answered but she was clearly disinterested.  Our almost one-sided conversation did inform me that she was newly married to a Baptist man, but other than that she was more focused on the traffic that passed by than on anything I said.  I figured she was bored and didn’t want to be bothered and it was time for me to go. However, just before I took that step to leave, a strong thought occurred to me. Sensing it was the Spirit of the Lord prompting me, I simply asked her, “By the way, Loretta, have you ever been saved?” It was just a simple question, nothing dramatic, but it must have been God’s key to Loretta’s heart. Suddenly the whole scene changed.  

She emotionally said, “Yes, I’m a Pentecostal backslider. She then did an immediate “about-face”, looked in through her open door, and loudly called out, “George, I told you God was after us. There’s a church lady here right now!” And with that she headed into the house. Her whole demeanor changed into a person under conviction of the Holy Ghost. Although I was uninvited, I simply followed her in aware that the Lord now had this situation under His control.

There was no need for further talk. Evidently, God had already been talking. It was time for a response from Loretta. Once inside the living room, I said, “Loretta, it’s true. God is after you. Let’s  kneel down and pray. “ There wasn’t much furniture in the room. The floor was bare except for a small throw rug. A couch was against the wall by the front windows. She headed there and together we knelt. “Call on the Lord, Loretta. Open your heart to Him. He is reaching down to you right now. It’s time to come back and make things right. You can settle it all now”

 It was thrilling to hear her honest confession to the Lord. Tears flowed.  She earnestly told Him about her drifting  and her sorrow for doing so. “Forgive me, Lord.  Please take me back again.” This was no dry praying. Tears flowed onto that couch as her sincere seeking brought the power of God on the scene. I was stunned as after a good time of serious praying she suddenly began to speak in tongues…. God had poured out His Spirit on her repentant and hungry heart, baptizing her right there.

As she continued on with hands lifted to heaven, I wondered, “Where’s George, her new Baptist husband? If he was hearing this, what was he thinking?”

To my left there was an open doorway into a room with white walls. I guessed that it might be the kitchen. The light was on. Could George be in there? I had to find out. I slipped away from Loretta and cautiously headed to that doorway and peered around the corner. Oops! Someone else had the same idea. We almost bumped heads. It was a man, holding a golf club. He was standing at the side of the stove that held the polishing materials he was using.

“Oh! “ I said.  “You must be George.”  “Yes, I’m George,” he replied as he stared over at what was happening to his wife.

“George,” I said, “look at what the Lord is doing for your wife! She has come back to the Lord, given her life to Him, and He has blessed her by filling her with His Holy Spirit. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing for both of you to begin your new marriage with the Lord at the center? Why don’t you join your wife over there, put your arm around her and give your life to the Lord also…” – and he did.

Oh what wondrous joys are in store for those who will obey the Lord and go out to seek and win the lost. The harvest is great…the fields are already white unto harvest. Why do you hesitate? Someone is waiting for your knock…your tract, your witness. You can be used of the Lord if you will but make that commitment to go!!

HOME