commitment

‘I think Ralph is going to pray to Jesus.’

 As Priscilla and I sat in an airport on our way to San Francisco, we prayed for Ralph. It was end of March 2011. He and my sister and their children had gone through deep heartache in the previous months. Once they shared with us their hearts, we shared ours and how Jesus loves. Quiet, steady Ralph listened. He was searching for something, someone. Memories of Christians at his work came to mind; he had seen some differences, mainly peace. He wanted peace.

 But questions:

How did we know Jesus was true?

How could he, Ralph, know if He was the truth?

 Patiently, I said and made a promise with him to explore. I promised to read a chapter a night with him every night and answer his questions to the best of my ability. All he had to do was to keep a journal of his questions. I told him answers would come. The questions were the important bit. He agreed; we began.

 Now he said, three months in, I am ready. I want to pray.

 Christians run through this bit, I believe, a little too fast. How does someone ‘Pray Jesus’ into their life?

What happens naturally and supernaturally at that moment? Or has it already happened before words are even mouthed? I can’t answer these questions and am glad I can’t. I wrote them down though, in my journal. We read and wrote and prayed together.

 I asked Ralph to pray by himself with Jesus that night. He did and we kept reading. We had started with Mark, moved to Jude, then Philemon and Acts and then to Genesis and we got up to Isaiah and then in December of 2012 I moved to London for work.

 We kept going till March 2013. The five hour time difference was killing me. I had to turn my brother (no longer just by law and marriage) over to Jesus. Hard. Ralph kept going. He kept writing in his journal.

 Last night (18 December) I couldn’t sleep. I hadn’t talked to Ralph in weeks. He was on my heart. I called.

 After a simple ‘hello, what are you doing up at this hour?’ Ralph said, ‘I am four chapters away.’

 He is in Revelation four chapters away from reading the Bible in a year (or so) He is still reading and journaling about God’s word. He visits the sick in hospitals; is active in a weekly men’s bible study, He is saved; heart and life changed. I asked:

What is his biggest take away from this year plus process of reading the word?

 Answer: Micah 7:8b as Ralph says it, through I sit covered in darkness, God’s light is there; he is mine. I am glad he answered question. He quoted scripture.

 Thursday night 19 December we finish the last two chapters together. We end as we began, together.

 What glorious light! His light, becomes my light, becomes our light. His word, our light.