Our first mission team from Lake Pointe Church is here right now to serve with us at Santa Clara's annual Art & Wine Festival. Over 50,000 attend this event every year, and South Bay Church set up a booth and is serving with set up, take down, and clean up. It's a great first connect point with the city.
As I came home from the Art & Wine Festival this afternoon to put Caedmon down for a nap, I was feeling overwhelmed and burdened. Overwhelmed because of the tens of thousands of people who were there that, at this point, we have no relationship with. And burdened because 95% of them probably don’t know Christ. I felt rather insignificant walking around this morning trying to meet people and tell them about South Bay Church.
So once I got Caedmon down, I spent some time in prayer, explaining how I was feeling to God, asking him to encourage and strengthen you guys, and praying that He would give us influence into the thousands of people’s lives represented at the Festival this morning. Then I read began reading my Bible where I had left off…Jeremiah 24. God encouraged me so much as I read about the Israelites who were living in captivity in Babylon. There hearts were hardened and far from God. But, as God spoke to Jeremiah he said, “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”
Instant relief flooded my soul! All morning I had been carrying the burdened of these people’s salvation. I felt responsible to connect with all 50,000 people, win them over, and convince them of the gospel. Then God reminded me that HE is the One who gives them a heart to know Him. He is the “convincer” of hearts and the irresistible truth and love that woos people.
In knowing that God works in the heart, we can remember that we play a part, a vital role, in leading people towards Christ, but God is the one who is Sovereignly working to draw men to himself. I want to play my part well!
I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord.
They will be my people, and I will be their God.
Jeremiah 24:7
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