AVAILABILITY

"I used to ask God if He would come and help me. Then I asked if I could come and help Him. Finally I ended by asking God to do His own work through me." - J. Hudson Taylor

Availability

While waiting in a cemetery to conduct a funeral service, Charles Simeon found one epitaph that arrested him.

"When from the dust of death I rise,
To claim my mansion in the skies,
E'en then shall this be all my plea--"
Jesus hath lived and died for me.""

He was so impressed that he looked for someone in the cemetery with whom he might share this. He saw a young woman, and called her over to read the epitaph. He took her address and visited her the next day. The home was a scene of poverty and squalor. The woman's old mother was dying of asthma, and two little children, very dirty, were trying to warm themselves by a small fire. Simeon prayed with the family, visited them again, and found assistance for them. Later, the young woman told Simeon that she had been in
the cemetery five hours and was contemplating suicide when he called her to read the epitaph. Because of his concern she trusted Christ and the family situation was changed.

God is ALWAYS speaking. That's His business. Through situations - pleasant and unpleasant. Through, text messages, music and even the engraved text on a tombstone. Isn't that amazing? Just for a second imagine what would have happened to that Asthmatic old lady, and the two little children, had Charles Simeon not walked up to the stranger.

It's possible, and I know it could be difficult with you. You might be surrounded with so many tombstones in your life, and are looking for the next thing to bury. Yes. In that state God can still use you, to give life - encourage, love and care for someone. Just be available.