Six months ago, I was at SKS Books with my wife when a complete stranger came up to me as I was looking at some Bibles. She sought my advice on selecting a Bible for a non-believing boyfriend. We started talking about different versions of the Bible and which was more suitable and as we talked, we moved to other topics like how God works salvation into our lives and more. I had the strong sense that there were deep issues in her and I called my wife over to join in our conversation as well. In the end, we recommended "The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus" by John Cross for her to read and get a better understanding of what the Bible was all about. We would have left it at that but I could feel God telling me to stay in touch with her. So I went up to her, introduced myself properly. She said her name was Junia (not her real name) and I left her our numbers and I left the rest to God.
A little while later--I can't remember how long--we got a call from Junia. She had more questions. About being with a non-believing boyfriend, about getting flak from colleagues, about family being hostile to her now that she was trying to be a Christian, about being hounded spiritually. My wife spoke at length to her and one conversation led to another and eventually, my wife invited her over to our place. The first meeting was cancelled by Junia but she managed to come by a few days later. Junia and my wife spoke at length and my wife upon hearing more details from her life, advised Junia that she should seek help from the Church of Our Saviour (COOS) because it was clear she had demonic influences and needed to be rid of them. Junia said that she had tried their healing room previously and the experience shocked her. My wife explained things to her and Junia seemed more willing to try COOS again.
Over the next few weeks, my wife had a few more long conversations with Junia but the talks were a drain on my wife physically and emotionally and we wondered if we were helping Junia or not. Eventually, the calls petered out and for the last three months, it was radio silence from Junia.
This Good Friday morning, we woke up late and missed our own church service. We knew there was a 5 p.m. baptismal service at COOS so we decided to attend that. When we got there and settled into our seats, we saw a woman--happy, smiling, talking with many friends--walk by. My wife said, "Isn't that Junia?" I looked hard. It did look like her but she looked different. I wasn't sure.
When the baptism got underway, the pastor called out, "Junia." It was her! My wife and I were stunned. Here was Junia, ill, depressed, lonely, struggling, now full of light, smiles and energy.
"Thank you God," I said immediately, "for bringing us here today, specifically to witness this miracle!" We watched with deep emotions as Junia went to the altar and into the pool and was baptised into the death and new life found in Jesus. We heard her declared, 'I turn to Jesus!" After all the candidates had been baptised, the pastor invited friends and family to the front to congratulate the new members and my wife and I made a beeline for Junia. She was mobbed. Her friends were hugging her, pressing gifts and cards into her hands and there was such a smile on her face.
Then she saw us.
"Why are you here!" she exclaimed.
"To see you get baptised," my wife replied.
She looked stunned and we explained. It was God who had brought us here specifically to see her get baptised. There were tears in her eyes as we spoke. She said that she had wanted to call us in the morning to let us know she was getting baptised but she felt she had bothered us too much already in the past months. She said she was going to tell us after but was so glad to see us.
Later that night, Junia called my wife and they spoke for an hour. Junia related how she had battled her demonic influences, found her group of friends, put her trust in Jesus and allowed him to work in her life to the point where her family, old friends and co-workers didn't recognise her. Some were hostile she said and some were just not sure what to make of the new Junia. In fact, she almost didn't make it to the baptism service because she had been so ill the past two weeks. But God cleared the way and she was there and so were we.
In 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, Paul says, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building."
In my life, I've had my Paul seed-planting experiences where I've explain about God for the first time in someone's life. I've had my Apollos-watering experiences too when I've helped someone along as they were learning more about God. As one of God's servants just doing his part, I don't expect to see what happens to the planting or see the fruit of the watering. But with Junia, God allowed my wife and I to be witnesses to the completion of the miracle of Junia putting her trust and hope in Jesus and being born again in the Holy Spirit. It was a wonderful gift to be able to see the harvest. Thank you, God.
