I received Jesus when I was 10. But all through my junior, and most of my senior high school years, I never even thought about God! It was in my senior year (1969), however, that the Lord began to pursue me.
One of my earliest recollections of this took place when I was about 17 years old. I was working at a Gulf gas station in my hometown of Baldwin Park, California.
I recall it was a hot July afternoon. Two men came walking into the station and approached me, both wearing hot, dark suits and hats — they looked very much like the Blues Brothers (the musical comedy, starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd)!
These guys stuck out like a sore thumb: There wasn’t a soul in town dressed like that in July except maybe pastors — and undertakers!
I’m glad this was before I was robbed at gunpoint at that same station because one of the “Blues Brothers” reached into his coat — and pulled out a Bible tract! They both proceeded to tell me about Jesus, not knowing I was a Christian-on-the-fence (if they were in fact angelic messengers their visit was by design!).
That day was the beginning of God’s wooing me upward and onward with Jesus.
Whoever those guys were, they were sent by God to me, personally, to tell me about Jesus! How do I know that? Because I saw them coming — they headed right for me. Why me? There were other people standing around? And, when they finished, they made an about-face and left the same way they came, on foot.
The Bible says in Hebrews 1:14: “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14)
And in Hebrews 13:2 we read: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2).
The men in suits that visited me that hot July afternoon may well have been angelic messengers — or perhaps simply two obedient Christians telling me about the Lord: “Go into all the world,” Jesus said, “and preach the Good News to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” Mark 16:15-16.
Angels or men, my point is this: Jesus said no one can come to Him for salvation unless the Father draws them first (John 6:44). That “drawing” is a gracious act of the Holy Spirit. Incidents (like my Blues Brothers visit) are by design and in God’s own time we come to believe in Christ. These personal “visits” from God (in whatever form they take) are God’s voice calling us to come home.
Has, or is, God calling you to put your trust in Jesus? That is surely an act of grace toward you.
Many of us have already responded to the offer — man, do we ever have a story to tell! Put down in writing how God worked to bring you to faith in Christ then be ready to share your story when an opportunity comes your way.