SALVATION KITCHEN

Last Saturday, Duane hosted our weekly Journey gathering for the first time – at his Mom’s house. For Duane, his mom, his sister Cheryl and me, there was a special memory in that place. As we hung out in the living room, I spotted an old Bible with especially large print. Written on the cover of that Bible was the name “Wink”. I knew it was a name, because I knew Wink.

Just a few years ago I had been invited to bring the Word at Maple Ridge Church. It was communion Sunday, so as part of the message, I asked if those who were coming up understood what communion meant. After sharing from Scripture how in sharing the bread and cup we “proclaim His death” until He comes again, and I asked if everyone had received Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Several of the youth were unsure, but wanted to pray – and there before the bread and cup those young people committed their lives to Christ. That was followed by receiving the bread and cup with meaning for the first time.

After the services was over, an elderly gentleman waved me over to him where he was in the pew. He asked if I would come visit him at his home that afternoon, and I said I would. This was Wink – Elenore’s husband and Duane’s step-dad. He was of Catholic background, and felt very unsure if he could be saved, since his divorce many years ago had resulted in him being rejected by his church. It was with great joy that I shared with him and proclaimed the salvation by faith message of Scripture from Romans, and from the words of Jesus Himself. Wink prayed in his kitchen – with grateful tears – trusting in the blood of Christ to settle all accounts…finally. A great peace came over him – and a light shown in his smile.

Last Saturday was my first time back in that kitchen, and to think of how Wink had settled things with the Lord a matter of months before he crossed his “finish line” and went home to be with his Savior gave me such a grateful heart that afternoon. I thought, “God has an amazing sense of timing”.