Picnic Tables and the Internet

On campus the best place to check your internet is on these picnic tables around a big tree. 6 white picnic tables form a circle skirting the large land mark. They even have electric plugs in case your computer battery should run low. Only 3 of the tables actually work.

Today the picnic tables offered more than the internet. I sat down to write some e-mails and soon a guy sat down at my table. We exchanged hellos and both went back to our internet. Soon he asked if that was the best place to get wireless internet. This began a conversation about where he was from. I learned he was a first year student, new to the University and in exchange got to share what I am doing here. Somewhere along the line I mentioned something about Christianity or Jesus and related it back to him and where he was. He then proceeds to say that over the next 3 years of college he would like to become a Christian and have a relationship with God. I asked him what was keeping him from doing it. He thought a moment and then replied “nothing, really.” I asked him why he didn’t do it now and he replied that he wanted to get to know more about Jesus. I then asked if he knew how to have a relationship with Jesus if he ever wanted one. He asked me to tell him. On the back of a CM07 card I drew out the basics of the gospel and we talked through man’s sin all the way through Jesus’ gift. He ended up praying with me that Christ would come into his life and change it. How incredible is that!

To me this was more than a conversation with a random guy. It was an amazing encounter all over again with our great God and a blessing to see this guy desire to be in relationship with him and have him change his life. But it was also a love not from God. I did nothing purposeful to initiate with this guy. It was the Holy Spirit in me who shared the truth. I just sat there and opened my mouth. It was God reminding me that it is not my power or might, but it is His power and might that changes life and draws hearts to himself.