The witness of the church – we talk about it, we pray about it, and we proclaim it as fundamental to who we are as a people of God. How well we do it might be a legitimate debate, but that we are a witnessing people is not in question. Yet, what does it mean, what does it entail, and how is it undertaken?

In the 1980s when Cambodians fled their homeland for safety and for freedom, and came to the USA, many of them landed in Long Beach, California. Away from their homeland, in a place where everything was strange and foreign to them, some came to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. There are many stories but there is one story that touched my heart, and became, for me, a metaphor as to what it means to be a witnessing people.

It is the story of an old Cambodian man. Through the ministry of faithful followers of Christ, the man came to know Jesus. Something happened in his life that truly changed him and made him a new creature in Christ.

In worship one Sunday his pastor spoke about living for Christ and about being witnesses. The old man felt frustrated. He was old. He couldn’t speak English. He felt helpless, wanting to serve but feeling so inadequate and even out of place. He went to his pastor and explained his frustration. He asked the pastor, “What can I do for my God?” The pastor counseled him to turn that question into a daily prayer, and everyday he prayed, “What can I do for my God, today?”

One day he came up with an idea. He decided to walk up and down the streets of his neighborhood praying for the people in the homes on each street. He didn’t know them, and in many cases couldn’t speak their language. Every day he would keep praying, “What can I do for my God today?” and everyday he would walk and pray.

In time the old man started meeting people, got to know them a little bit, told them he was praying for them that God would blessed and help them; and, he invited them to come his church. Most didn’t but some did, and over the next few years of those who did come to his church, many of them found Christ and joined the church. Some of them were children. They are now adults, active in the church and some of them are pastors in local churches.

WHAT CAN I DO FOR MY GOD TODAY? Not a bad question; not a bad question at all. In fact, it is a great question to ask for disciples of Jesus and for the churches they attend.

WHAT CAN WE DO FOR OUR GOD TODAY? In this place and at this time, WHAT CAN WE DO FOR OUR GOD? Pray it and let God stretch your imagination in His answer to the prayer.