The words "Witness Protection" are most commonly associated with situations where people have risked their lives to serve as informants for law enforcement in exchange for life-long protection.
Persons participating in the witness protection program have either witnessed or been connected to something so intense, so serious, so critical, so life-changing that their lives are forever altered. Their names are also usually altered so that they begin an entirely new life, leaving all that they were and all that they knew far behind. Once they share what they know, or are simply exposed to certain situations and people, there is no turning back. Even if they are apprehensive about moving forward into a new life, they are forced to move in a new direction, because if they return to their old life, there is certain danger.
So it is with us as Christians. If we have truly encountered the risen Christ, we have witnessed someting so intense, so serious, so critical, so life-changing that our lives are forever altered. In the Old and the New Testaments, there are stories of those who had divine encounters and their names were changed as a result of those encounters. Unlike our legal "Witness Protection" program, those who witnessed the incredible power of God, love of Christ and presence of the Holy Spirit did not go into hiding. They, like we are charged to do, went "into all the world" telling everyone about what they knew.
When will we stop being afraid to share what we know about the Lord? People will readily share vivid details about all sorts of sordid experiences they have had, but too many Christians are silent or too embarrassed to talk about truly divine experiences or the joy of salvation.
The good thing about God's "Witness Protection" program is that we can talk all we want to whomever we want without fear, because God's got our back. Indeed, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind." Whenever we speak and witness to others about what we know about God, the Holy Spirit will give us the power we need to speak up, the love we need to approach people the right way, and sound judgement as to the best time to share. We just need to have the desire and willingness to be a witness.
Keep in mind, we have to be willing. God doesn't need reluctant witnesses--those who have to be threatened into testifying about what they know. A reluctant witness for God isn't really a witness at all. When we allow God's Word to move beyond our heads and into our hearts, it will be "like fire shut up in our bones" and we will not be able to hold back from speaking and sharing what we know. We will be ready to serve as an expert witness for God and embrace the new identity He has for us. We can keep moving forward because, like those in the legal witness protection program, we know that going back to our old lives would bring certain death--spiritual and maybe even physical.
I don't know about you, but I'd much rather walk by faith into a future with God than to walk in circles in a past with no path to the future. Can I get a witness?
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
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