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When the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith? (Luke 18:8b, NLT)
At 18 years old, soon after I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, hitchhiking back from Florida (where I had accepted Jesus), I was thinking about my recent decision to walk with Him.
I had confessed Jesus on New Year’s Eve 1971/1972 and was baptized in the Atlantic Ocean.
It wasn’t my first baptism, as I had been baptized at Bible camp when I was 10 years old. The next Fall, my first day in the 5th grade, I looked around the classroom and realized that I was the only Christian and thought that I was going to be the most unpopular kid in the school.
At that moment, I decided to stop following Jesus.
Now, I was traveling back to Springfield, Ohio, having just accepted Jesus, again to face my friends who didn’t know Him. I began discussing the matter with Jesus and asked Him to make me faithful.
He told me to be bold about my conversion and my faith would solidify and grow.
That’s what I did — I met with my friends and told them that I had become a Christian. Many thought I was nuts and stopped associating with me, while others also became followers of Jesus. From that young motley crew of Jesus Freaks, a ministry started that became Fellowship Christian Church.
I remained faithful, and a few years ago, I retired from that ministry after 49 years.
My thoughts have recently returned to being faithful. I’m 72 years old, with years left to serve Jesus, and I want to be found faithful when I see Him. My goal reflects the Apostle Paul’s end-of-life eulogy of faithfulness.
As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful (2 Timothy 4:6-7).
Paul was found faithful, and I want to be as well. How about you?
In Romans 1:17 (NIV) we read the encouragement to be faithful from first to last. Except for my stutter-step in the 5th grade, I’ve been committed to Jesus since I was 18 years old.
During my 53 years of following Jesus, I’ve been laughed at by friends, tempted again and again by the evil one, fought discouraged through unexpected deaths and a house fire, been betrayed, made mistakes, had prayers answered and unanswered (at least on this earth), lived through an intense period of emotional despair, and now find myself making plans for my end-0f-life ministry.
I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior; I have hope beyond hope in His goodness; I believe in miracles; and I’m anticipating an end-of-times revival with youth.
While writing this Interruption, I listened to a recent recording entitled Find Me + At the End of My Days by Jonathan and Melissa Helzer. It’s a long and spontaneous YouTube video and must be heard from beginning to end, but the chorus says. . .
Find me grateful
Find me thankful
Find me on my knees
Find me dreaming
Find me singing
Find me lost in your grace!
Amen! Then, at the end of the video, the chorus changes to. . .
At the end of my days
Lord, find me faithful!
Amen, and amen.