“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20, KJV)
We were checking out our items at a grocery store. I asked the cashier if he knew Jesus. He smiled and said that he sure did! I asked him if he knew Him as his Saviour. He smiled again and said that he did.
I said, “I’m just making sure. Now I don’t have to be concerned about you.” We smiled.
Just then another cashier came between us. She was young and very intense. She was counting money and handling the cashier box. She was moving fast! The man who was our cashier had finished ringing up our groceries and began to put our groceries in bags.
I looked at her name tag. She had a biblical name. I asked her if she knew that her name was in the Bible. She was still preparing things very intensely. She had just arrived to work and was going to be the next cashier. The man that had been our cashier, finished putting our items in bags and left. I turned my attention to the girl who was now the cashier. I asked her if she knew Jesus.
She said, “I believe that if you believe in Him, you have to go to church and do all those things, and I don’t.”
I thought for a moment. She was so intense that I was not sure if there was a moment to say more. But I just had to try.
I told her, “Jesus loves you. And He wants you to be in Heaven with Him. There is no other way there, but through Him. Don’t you want to be in heaven?”
As she continued preparing the cash box, she looked up at me and listened. I continued, “It’s not about doing; it’s about knowing Him. You don’t have to get into doing things. He wants you to know Him as the Saviour of your soul. He wants you to know Him intimately and personally. Would you like to know Him?”
I noticed that the store was full of customers, but not one had come to where we were. I knew that God was giving this young woman the opportunity for salvation in Him. And I had to have the courage to continue telling her about Him.
She gave me a very serious look. “Yes, I would.”
I looked at her seriousness and said, “Let’s pray.”
Still no customers had come to line up behind me. We began to pray. She believed in Jesus as her personal Saviour, giving her life to Him. She was now at peace and still. I was exhausted due to my physical condition, but Jesus was saving a soul!
She said that she had a Bible somewhere in her closet. I smiled.
“Take it out and start reading the book of John. Start there. You will learn of the One in whom you have believed and about how much He loves you. You will start knowing the Son of God in whom you have believed.”
I joined my husband. I was exhausted from the strain of the condition of my back. My husband looked at me with joy and compassion. “I was praying that God would give you the time you needed. And no one came to where you were.” We both smiled.
“Abba, Father, how intense this young woman was, but she prayed to believe in Your Son; she was at peace and joyful! Messiah, only You are peace. Only You are joy! I thank You for Your Holy Spirit who helped me stay in a conversation with her. And thank You, Lord, for keeping the customers from coming to where we were. Father, I never know when You are going to place someone before me whom You have drawn to Your Son. It is not easy to start talking about Him and salvation in Him. I never know how to get started, but your Holy Spirit is my helper. Without Him there would be no way to reach a soul for your Son. Thank You, Lord, for this young woman who is now Your very own! How You pursue the heart of man to believe in You!”