God Is Faithful Until The End
As I drove along empty roads and quiet pastures, surrounded by rolling hills, and lush greenery, I finally arrived at my destination. It was not a pleasant sight. My new Bible study contact lived down a private dirt road covered with potholes too large for my car to navigate comfortably. Her humble home awaited at the end of this bumpy path.
For a moment, I considered returning another day when I was more appropriately dressed. It was a rainy Sabbath afternoon, and I had just left church. Without my rain boots, the muddy driveway posed a significant challenge. Fortunately, I was accompanied by Noah, a local conference Bible worker, who was visiting our church that Sabbath and agreed to partner with me for the day. He seemed unfazed by the weather, the muddy road, or the water-filled potholes. We prayed, carefully skipped over the potholes, and managed to keep the mud confined to our shoes and the bottom of our pants. As we approached the home, I noticed part of it was covered with a tarp, likely to stop an old leak. A family of feral cats scattered as we neared the front door.
Knock-knock-knock, Noah instructed me to knock three times with authority. An abrasive voice responded from inside, "Who is it?"
"It's Tom and Noah, local Bible workers, here to give you, your first lesson study," He replied.
A middle-aged Hispanic woman with a medium frame hobbled to the screen door, looking confused. "You've got the wrong person," she said.
"Is your name Robyn?" I asked.
"Yes," she answered.
I explained how she had filled out a request for Bible studies and that we were there to see if she was interested in receiving a free Bible study guide. Her friend was also present in the home and they surprisingly invited us in. We handed Robyn an It Is Written Bible study lesson along with a free goodie bag from church. She asked about our beliefs, so we shared a bit about them. I listened as Noah explained how the lessons worked: we would drop off the Bible study lesson, they would study it for a week and fill out the questions, and then we would return to go over the lesson and drop off another one. Robyn agreed to give it a try.
The following week, I arrived by myself, better prepared with rain boots since the road was still muddy. Robyn had completed lesson one, "Can God Be Trusted?" Her friend was also present again and they invited me in to discuss their questions, and instead of just dropping off the next lesson, they asked if I could study together. I happily went over the next lesson. This continued almost every Sabbath afternoon for several months. The lessons eventually covered the importance of the seventh day Sabbath, and to my delight, Robyn had accepted that truth, even texting me on Sabbath with "Happy Sabbath!" greetings. It was amazing!
Later lessons introduced the Bible's teaching on the “State of the Dead,” which sparked numerous questions about why we sleep instead of going directly to heaven or hell. This led to studies on “the Millennium” and the truth about hell. These lessons are challenging for people to accept if they’ve never heard about it before. Yet, by the powerful work of the Holy Spirit, Robyn embraced each lesson with an open heart.
Then, something very unexpected happened: I could not get in touch with Robyn. Several weeks went by, and finally, I received a text from her friend. Robyn had suddenly passed away in the hospital. She had faced numerous health challenges, including heart disease and diabetes. During her stay, she suffered cardiac arrest. I was deeply saddened by the news. It was hard to accept she was gone. I asked God, “Why did you allow Robyn to pass away?” “She was growing closer to You and accepting all the messages.” “God, she was on the verge of being baptized.”
After attending her funeral, I came back into my car, and sat there thinking about all that had happened. I realized once again that God knows the end from the beginning. Romans 8:28 promises us “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” I realized that it was by His grace and mercy that He sent someone to her home. God, knowing Robyn had only a few months left, sent me to her home so she could hear about His truth and the messages of His soon coming. Her character changed in those few months. Her unkindness, turned into kindness. Her love for things evil, was turning into a love for things good. She was make life-changing decisions before she passed. I believe, as promised in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Jesus will soon call the dead in Christ to rise and meet Him, including Robyn. He will never end His effort to save His children because He knows heaven would not be the same without them. He will send angels and people to reach the lost, if they are willing to accept His invitation. What a wonderful God we serve! Through this experience, I’ve learned that God is faithful until the end!