"But you don't know!"

A face appeared in the doorway and interrupted our Scripture singing. Our property is on the market and intrusions have become common. This time it was a real estate agent acting for a couple that had come through on their own a few weeks before. This man had never seen the house. After showing him through, the conversation turned to my favourite topic when I invited him to read Enrich Your Prayer Life.

Kev* told me that he believed in God but didn't know if God was a perfume. And yes he would read the little book. When he left, it was time to get some lunch together in a hurry. My husband, Marty, would be home any minute and it was already 1 pm.

About a week later, Kev rang. He had an offer from his party. It was much lower than we are asking, so I didn't hesitate to decline. He called again. The offer had increased but it was still well below the minimum we could take. We prayed about it, did our figures and declined again. I am not sure how much later it was when Kev rang again. It may have been two weeks. The second offer was put forward again. Kev argued that obviously our price wasn't right if we were still on the market.

“You might be right,” I told him, “but I factor God into the equation. He will keep us here if there is one more person He wants to reach through us. And you could be that person.”

“As a matter of fact I do want to have a talk with you.” Kev checked his diary.

“What about 3 O'clock on Tuesday?”

I had a quick think. “Lets make it 3:15.”

So it was arranged.

Tuesday turned into a very busy day. I had to be at piano lessons with the children between 1 and 3 pm. I knew that I needed to have special time with God in order to be ready for Kev. But how could I fit that in, too? I looked at the phone and in my mind decided to postpone him.

Just then it rang. I can't remember why the friend called. I can only remember that he said something about the opportunity God was giving me.

I went into my bedroom and knelt down.

“Lord how can I fit this in? I need to be prepared.”
An image of myself doing Bible study in the car outside the piano teacher’s house flashed into my mind. I collected the children's music, grabbed my Bible, concordance, paper and pen, the children climbed in, and we drove off.

I actually enjoy listening to the children's piano lessons. This time I cheerfully missed out. I had such a precious season with God. By the time the piano lesson was finished at 3 pm, I was reveling in the joy that comes from being in God's presence.

We arrived back home to find Kev waiting. There were a few minutes of small talk, then I put two Bibles on the table and told Kev that I wanted to pray.

Kev said something then I suggested that we look at some Scripture. I found the place for him and asked him to read.

He read the text and said with disgust, “I can't understand any of that.”

My old Bible in front of me, I started going through the verse word by word.

“Is your Bible different ?” He wanted to know.

“No, I just can't read upside down.”

And then, frustration surfacing again, “Why does it have to be through a book!?”

Before turning my attention to the last question, I explained the thees and thous and the wilts.

“Just think ‘you’ for thee and for thou, and wilt is just will.”

I carefully explained the verse.

“This poor man cried and the Lord heard him. A poor man cried and God heard Him.”

“This book is man's invention. Why doesn't God just accept me as I am. Why does it have to be through a book?” Kev was adamant.

“I am fed up with the hypocrites that follow this book.” He mentioned crimes that church men have been proved guilty off.

“Kev, these people don't represent God. If they did they would follow this book.”

Kev thought about that and agreed. I continued to address his other statement about the Bible being man’s invention. “Put that aside for now, because you don't know. Trial the book and see for yourself.”

“Why doesn't God just talk to me directly?” Kev demanded.

“Have you asked Him to?” I countered.

“Yes.”

“Well, He probably has but you didn't recognize His voice because you don't know Him. You don't know if He is just a perfume.”

Kev stopped and thought about that. He had to agree.

I continued. “That's why you need this book. In it you will get to know God.”

Kev sighed. “Maybe I’ll just have to wait until I die to get to know God.”

“If you do that it will be too late!” I exclaimed. “The Bible says that the dead don't know anything.”**

“So its not true about heaven?” Kev was genuinely surprised.

“Heaven is true but whether you go there or not depends on the choices you make in this life and if you do go there, it won't be until the resurrection.” I explained. ***

“Well, I am a good person. I should go there.” Kev decided.

“Oh, by whose standard?”

He thought about that and frowned a little. “I guess my wife thinks I am selfish.”

I had to smile. “I don't know you and it wouldn't matter if I did. The point is we need to know God's standard. Our own standard is subjective. That's another reason you need that book.”

“Why doesn't God just do something to make me believe Him?”

Kev explained that he wanted a miracle just for himself. He didn't understand that God does miracles not to make us believe but because we believe. And in my mind I thought about what miracle I could suggest that he asks for.

“God is not a magician. He is much more than that. He says, Come let us reason together. He wants to appeal to your mind,” I explained.

Kev argued with that. He wanted some kind of miracle. He said he couldn't understand the Bible and he knew he wouldn't enjoy it.

“I know a miracle you can ask God for.” He listened intently. “Ask God to make you understand the Bible and also that you enjoy it.”

Kev thought about that and then said He would trial it.

Using the illustration of a child learning long division and the importance of not giving up at the first problem, I emphasized that he had to stick at it long enough for God to answer his prayer request. I told him to read for half an hour a day for three weeks. He told me he was so busy he didn't know how he would fit that in.

“Get up half an hour early and do it first thing.”

Yes, he could do that.

I am eagerly anticipating the outcome of Kev's trial. I personally know people who are illiterate but can read the Bible because they prayed.

* Not his real name.
** Psalm 146:4
*** 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17

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