The Witness Protection Program

What do you think of when you hear the word "Witness"?  Many Christians will think of things like, "spreading the gospel", "preaching to the lost", or "to tell people about God".  And while these are great Sunday School answers, that's not really what "witnessing" is.

Just take the word "witness".  A person who witnesses a crime was there when the incident happened.  They experienced part of the story.  When you watch the news, they don't interview a friend of a friend who "saw the whole thing happen".  They want the the person who was there.

The thing about people who have witnessed a crime is that they're human.  They will see things from different perspectives.  They will have past experiences that may play a role in how they viewed the crime.  An ex-police officer will see things differently than a nurse will.  Do you see (witness) what God is doing in your life each day?

As Christians, it's easy to tell other people's story.  But what's YOUR story?  How did God change YOU?  It's great to be encouraged by the stories and lives of others, but what have YOU witnessed?  Have you become so stagnant in your walk with God that you no longer know how to share what God has done for you?  Or worse, have you failed to see how God is in your life and how He is working?  Or worse yet, have you abandoned your relationship with God for the day-to-day "Christian Acts" of doing the right thing?  Do you solely rely on the stories and experiences of others to drive your faith?  Or ARE YOU WINTESSING NEW THINGS ABOUT GOD EVERYDAY?  That's where I want to be.  I admit that I'm not there now.  But I want to be there.  Because to "be there", means that I have new and fresh experiences with God each day.  To "be there" means that I am daily surrendering my selfishness for His will.  And you know what?  When I do that, no matter what the obstacles, He promises to be a shield around me -- my protection. 

Psalm 3:1-4

Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.

But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

I call out to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.

David wrote the above Psalm while his own son, Absalom, was trying to kill him.  Boy, talk about a time in his life when he probably felt like he wasn't "witnessing" God's love.  Even though at the time he wrote this he was "witnessing" a lot extremely difficult situations, he also was "witnessing" God's protection.  

What have you witnessed?