Albert

Iwas tired. I had just finished six hours of meetings and was headed straight to another meeting with a young man named Albert who I met with for regular Bible study.

We each opened our Bibles and began to read John 6. He read the chapter in Arabic while I read it in English. As I read, I really struggled to keep my eyes open. In the chapter, Jesus spoke on the bread of life, and I pondered about what I would eat for dinner. I skimmed through the familiar words and waited for Albert to finish.

When I looked up, I was startled by what I saw. Albert sat before his open Bible, visibly shaking in response to what he had read. I jolted back to consciousness, realizing that the Holy Spirit was doing something. I quickly prayed, “O God, forgive me! Help me to be a part of what You are doing right now.” I asked Albert what was happening inside him, and he said over and over, “This is deep. This is deep. This is deep.” He then shared that he felt indescribable peace for the first time in his life.

Albert did not commit his life to Jesus that day, yet something changed in him. Over the next year, he wrestled with the cost of following Jesus. He wanted to follow, but the price seemed so high. At times he tried not to think about it by distracting himself with other pursuits. But despite his efforts, he couldn’t stop thinking about Jesus. After more than a year of wrestling with the decision, Albert finally committed his life to Jesus.

Thank God that the Holy Spirit is not dependent on us. In my own strength, I was tired and hungry, not focused on what God was up to that day. But the Lord had greater plans. While I struggled to stay awake, Albert trembled in the presence of the Prince of Peace.