By Dale V. Nobbman

Finding 2013

Camilla Smith

Witnessing.    Do you find yourself wondering if you are doing a good job at this?   If you’re like me, you are asking God every night to help you discern your opportunities and know when to jump in there and when to back off.    Well, no doubt he will lead you if you sincerely seek his guidance.    Here’s a little story…

It began the week after New Year’s Day.   I was late in getting my 2013 calendar so against my better judgment, I went to a huge discount store to buy one.   And I found a delightful little horsey calendar for $4.88 (what am I, eleven? ).   There were 100 calendars or more to choose from.    There is a story here so stay tuned.

Well, being in this huge discount store, I got distracted, found something at a “huge discount”, set the calendar down and never made it out of the store with it.   Okay, so now it is the second week in 2013. Still no calendar.   I decide to make myself go back to the same store and retrieve my lovely, albeit somewhat juvenile, date planner with the ponies on it for 2013.    Nope--gone.   We’re now down to four calendars to choose from.    Two pop stars, a stupid cartoon and a beautiful Hallmark calendar by a well-known artist.    Lovely. Birds, flowers.   I’ll take it.

So I go home, somewhat satisfied with my purchase, but really who cares, it’s just a calendar, right?   That’s what I thought.   Here is where it gets interesting.    I opened the calendar, put it on the bulletin board in the office and threw the cardboard insert to my beloved collies, who think cardboard is the greatest toy ever.    An hour or so later, Roman, my intuitive collie (such a good boy), brings me a ripped up piece of cardboard which I now notice has writing on it.   So I read it.   Tears welled up in my eyes, and a huge smile came across my face.   Here in bold, black print was the most undeniably God-given message I could have received.

“Just think, you’re here not by chance, but by God’s choosing. His hand formed you and made you the person you are. He compares you to no one else—you are one of a kind. You lack nothing that His grace can’t give you. He has allowed you to be here at THIS TIME IN HISTORY, TO FULFILL HIS SPECIAL PURPOSE FOR THIS GENERATION”.

Gulp. I don’t believe this was a coincidence. I believe this was the divine hand of God, scooting me along, telling me to “get on with it”.   And anyone of us could have picked out that calendar and gotten that message.   It is a universal message to all Christians at this point in time.   THIS TIME IN HISTORY?   SPECIAL PURPOSE FOR THIS GENERATION?   Does that not resonate with you as it did me?   I am putting HISTORY and GENERATION together in my mind of course, all the while thinking that WE ARE THE LAST GENERATION!!   It is astonishing and it is happening before our eyes. It is overwhelming and exhilarating at the same time.

Do you just get back to your daily routine (as I do) and think “oh well, we will probably just go on like this for a few more years.”?    I find myself having those thoughts and then as soon as I do, it never fails, I am shaken by a story that was even more shocking than the one before and I can almost hear Jesus saying “No, this is really it.   Pay attention”.     It is as if He yanks me back to where my focus needs to be every single time. The world is in a state of madness and disorientation that is beyond belief and we are THE GENERATION that is watching it happen.

And to the artist who included this in her most excellent of calendars—Thank You!   The statement applies to this special lady who thinks enough to include inspiration and Bible verses in her calendar packaging.   She is fulfilling her purpose to this generation.

What about you?   Are you searching for God’s purpose in your life?   Do you feel like time is running short and you need to reach out to those around you who may not know Jesus Christ as their Savior?   It is really the only thing that matters.   It is really all there is.   God will lead you.   He will give you the words. He will build your courage and boldness with each person you touch.   Take the time. Take the lead.   Make the effort.   Fill your arsenal with God’s Word and let the Holy Spirit guide you. It is required of us and we owe it to Almighty God, after what He has done for us.     “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe”. Hebrews 12:28.

So that is my story.   Friends, if this is our last year on this earth, at least I know my search for 2013 was not in vain.

Camilla