God chases after us. Every time I’ve turned away from Him, He’s used people or situations in my life to help me turn back around, and when I do, He welcomes me back with open arms.
Recently on an e3 trip to Cuba, I witnessed this — the chase, the turnaround, and the welcoming with open arms.
The Chase
It was on our first day there. We were walking through a neighborhood, knocking on doors and asking those who answered if there was anything they’d like prayer for. The second door I knocked on was answered by a woman named Sarah*. She graciously accepted our offer for prayer, and then welcomed us into her home.
I shared my testimony with her, and asked if she had a similar story. Without hesitation, she shared with us the story of her heart attack from a few years prior.
In the midst of the pain and fear, she cried out to God, begging Him to spare her life so her two daughters wouldn’t be mother-less. She promised Him that she’d be a better Christian, but she admitted to us that after recovering from the heart attack, she really hadn’t even thought about God much.
I could tell Sarah felt guilty and ashamed, but I admired her honesty and openness. I shared the gospel with her, and when I did, I could practically see the guilt in her turn into hope and excitement.
The Turnaround
“I think God sent you here to remind me of the miracle He gave me and the commitment I made to Him,” Sarah told us.
God was moving in her heart. She was hungry to know more about Him, and she was ready to devote her life to Him. Right then and there, she “turned around”. I asked Sarah if we could come back the next day to do a Bible study, and she excitedly shook her head, “yes”.
Welcoming with Open Arms
We ended up coming back the next four days in a row. We taught her how to share the gospel, and she did so with her husband.
Every day when we left, Sarah would continue reading her Bible, and the following mornings, she’d be waiting by the door with her Bible in hand, ready to continue our studies.
She was enamored with Jesus. It was amazing to see. He’d saved her life once before, and now he had done it again.
*A pseudonym