If you've been in ministry for some time you well know that there are students tucked away in Bible classes that have yet to meet Jesus personally. It can be hard to remember that fact, but it is imperative that we do so.
God sent a vivid reminder my way through a precious young woman in a Bible study that I am privileged to lead for young women, like myself, in their twenties and thirties. This particular friend sent me an email. I had known her previously through our mom's ministry called iMom. She had even served a bit around our local church. When I got her email to meet one on one I assumed that we be talking about a number of discipleship issues: Bible study, sharing our faith, and so forth. We sat down over a couple of Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha's and started sharing. I had never heard her testimony so I asked her to share it with me. After a few minutes of listening to my friend I'm sure my eyes were wide with astonishment. I wasn't hearing a testimony of life change but rather a testimony full of works righteousness and trying harder. That I knew was not salvation in Christ, that was not salvation at all. I had to look no further than Ephesians 2:4-10
4But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
As I explained true salvation in Christ apart from works, I think I saw the lights start to come on. We didn't pray right there, but the Holy Spirit surely was continuing work on my friends heart.
The reason I share this story is because had we not have had the one on one meeting I could have continued on thinking that this young woman knew Jesus. She may have kept coming to studies for years, for the rest of her life, trying harder but never entering His rest. As you lead women, remember that perhaps there are some eyes staring back at you in that Bible study that haven't been opened just yet. Don't forget to share the Gospel everywhere!
