An astounding turnaround
Perhaps it’s happened to you. Someone you love is far away from God, and making no moves towards Him. Perhaps they’ve been verbal about their lack of belief, and have even been critical of you in your choice to be a Christian. You try to imagine a change of mind and behaviour, but it seem impossible. That’s one reason why it can be so hard to reach those we are closest to. Unable to envisage any potential change of heart, we don’t even make any significant attempt to reach them. Like Saul of Tarsus, they seem beyond the pale.
But everyone can change. As we’ve seen, Nathaniel had been quite emphatic when he had heard about Jesus of Nazareth: nothing good could come from that one-camel town. But now, stunned by this Jesus who affirmed his good character – and had supernatural revelation about him – he makes a startlingly clear declaration about Jesus’ identity as Son of God and Israel’s Messiah. We don’t know what had happened to Nathaniel under that fig tree, but Jesus, as Son of God, knew all about it. And that was the start of the revolution.
Don’t stop praying for that person who has made it clear they are beyond prayer. They haven’t reckoned with Jesus’ ability to break through to even the hardest heart. Nathaniel was reached and turned – and the same can be true of that loved one of yours.
Is there someone in your life who you have stopped praying for, because you just cannot imagine them finding faith in Jesus?