Have you ever wondered why we ask the question, “Where have you seen God at work this week?” Or, “Where did God show up today?” We ask that question in lifeGroup, we ask it on Sunday mornings in worship, and we ask it of our kids, but why? Here are a few reasons for asking that question:

1. It trains our eyes and ears and mind to be on the lookout for where God is working so that we can join Him.

2. We get to see that God meets us exactly where we are, and meets our every need in ways that are often surprising.

3. When we recognize that God is working, we can then give Him the thanks and praise.

4. We get to practice storytelling, and sharing our faith.

When we talk about “witnessing” or “sharing our faith,” many of us get sweaty palms, our hearts race, and we start coming up with all sorts of excuses as to why we can’t do it (kind of like Moses in Exodus 4:10-12). But this does not have to be a scary thing! It can be as simple as sharing where you saw God at work today, as simple as sharing what you are thankful for, as simple as sharing why you have hope or peace during difficult times.

Psalm 66:5 says, “Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man’s behalf!” And Psalm 66:16 says, “Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.” When we gather with others in lifeGroup and practice telling each other what God has done for us, it isn’t quite as difficult to share those same things with other people.

When I was in Ethiopia this past February, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet a man named Tekle. We went to his home where he prepared dinner for us and we sat around and listened to him tell stories of his life. His father died when he was very young. He had his first pair of shoes when he was 10 years old. When he was 16 he came to Addis Ababa, the capital city, and went to a Billy Graham crusade where he gave his life to Jesus. He fled Ethiopia during the communist take over and his life was spared. He made his way to the United States and attended college. Some people at college asked him, “Why do you speak of Jesus so much?” He said, “If I don’t talk about Jesus, then I would not have anything to talk about.” That phrase stuck with me. I hope I never forget that night of listening to Tekle’s stories and the absolute love he has for Jesus and those who are poor or orphaned. I confess that I often engage in so many other topics of conversation instead of talking about Jesus!

The summer time is a wonderful time to be out and about with neighbors and friends. Consider who you could invite to join you on a bike ride or to sit by the fire pit, and be willing to share what God has done for you, how He has met your needs. Think about how you can be sensitive to the specific needs of your neighbors and relate to them based on your own experiences. There is no need to try and convince other people; the results are up to God. We have such good news to share about Jesus, why would we want to keep it to ourselves?!

Where have you seen God at work lately? Who have you told about it?