The Bible paints a vivid picture of God pursuing the lost with his great love, no matter the distance they stray. A few weeks ago, I travelled to Greenland to enjoy the beauty of Creation while knowing that God had someone whom I needed to share the gospel with.
Traveling to Greenland is not easy. Difficult flights and uncertain weather conditions prompted delays, but the plane eventually arrived, and I joined a small group of adventurous ladies from around the world. We were then placed under the care of a 30ish year-old female guide.
Hiking across the tundra and along beautiful fjords allowed plenty of time for uninterrupted one-on-one conversations. Would you believe that our guide had been raised in a very strict legalistic Christian home, and as a teen, rebelled and started running as far as she could away from the God of rules and laws? In college, she studied physics and adopted the theory of evolution as proof that all religion is wrong, throwing her full passion into researching our supposed ageless earth that’s appeared by chance.
By “coincidence,” I studied quite a bit of science in college and have taught advanced level physics, chemistry, and biology classes, so I could intelligently say, “Let’s talk about that. Have you considered that all this beauty around us might be the design of a loving Creator who cares about His Creation and cares about you?”
After college, she chose to get her boat captain’s license to make money driving boats around the northern Arctic. It’s a tough job for a young woman because the field is strongly male dominated.
Jennifer Smith with a glacier behind her.
Would you believe, by “coincidence,” that I’m also a boat captain having driven a ship all around the Arctic with the Coast Guard in Alaska? So, while we hiked along the glaciers, I could genuinely say, “Let’s talk about the challenges when storms are raging, and the boat is icing up so that you think you might die. I know I was following God’s plan for my life. Do you know God’s special plan for yours?”
She was also working on an extensive geological research project as postgraduate study and had encountered serious roadblocks. Would you believe, by “coincidence,” I’ve done graduate and post-graduate work in several fields? So, we could talk in detail about those struggles and how God answers prayer.
In Luke 15:3-6 Jesus tells a parable, “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home…”
My new friend had been desperately running from God, leaving sweltering Texas to go to the farthest northern extreme she could find, landing in one of the most rugged, isolated, and remote places on earth. Yet our loving Shepherd never stopped pursuing her to the extent that he sent a female Arctic boat captain with a background in science and enough degrees to be credible just to communicate His love for her; to let her know that he sees her as precious in His sight.
That picture of Jesus leaving the ninety-nine to go after the one lost sheep remained crystal clear as I watched her countenance change while she considered the Truth of the gospel.
Don’t stop praying! This young woman has a praying Momma which led to me being picked up and sent a few thousand miles around the world.
God is constantly pursuing the people on your prayer list. He may make a way for you to have a gospel conversation with them yourself, or he may send someone else. Perhaps you may have the privilege of being the answer to someone else’s prayer for their loved one. God is the great Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to pursue the lost one out of his great love. Don’t stop praying!
Coast Guard veteran Jennifer Smith serves as leader of missions team for Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church in Jacksonville. She is also a chaplain for Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief and frequently serves on callouts with IBDR and other relief agencies.