Can I Get a Witness?

 

I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.

 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.

 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord. (Psalm 40:1-3, ESV) 

 

Don’t you love a good, old-fashioned testimony service? It can be so exciting to hear stories of God's working in the lives of others. Some call them “God sightings.” I’ve heard Trish Cunningham talk about “paint on the trees”—little signs that God gives us that we are still on the right track, like the patches of color park rangers put on trees to help us when we’re out in the woods. Hearing others’ stories of God’s power and intervention gives me courage and helps me to trust God more in my own struggles. 

 According to Psalm 40, the very way we live our lives can be a testimony of God's goodness. We all have our own battles to fight. Maybe you have not had to deal with physical abuse or the loss of a loved one. You may not have had people talk about you or even been the gossiper yourself, but we all have our own "miry bog" of trouble and sorrow. Whatever God has helped you with, your joyful response, your "song of praise," can cause others to trust in God. 

 Jesus talked about this same idea in Matthew 5:16. He instructed His disciples, "Let your light shine before others so that  they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." 

 We don't tell of God's goodness to get attention to ourselves, and we don't do good things so we will be praised but so God will get glory.  When God gets the glory, others are drawn to Him, and He is what everyone needs. Let’s be bold to open up and tell of God’s work in our daily lives. Let’s do all the good we can in Jesus’ name.

--Sherry Poff