I'm clueless, but He knows

Every Christian has people on their prayer list whose spiritual life is uncertain. They made a profession of faith once, maybe as a child, but they don’t seem interested in God, church, or spiritual things. Or maybe they attend church and talk about the Lord, but there is something odd about their faith; it doesn’t seem genuine.

While I like mysteries, I also like them solved. Not knowing where someone stands with God is a tough one to leave alone. I tend to want to know. Even though the Bible gives plenty of criteria that marks genuine faith (or not), I’m still not sure about the people who fall into that gray area in between. Some of them are in my family. How do I pray for them?

Paul wrote Timothy about two men that followed the Lord then “strayed concerning the truth” and taught falsely, ruining the potential faith of others. Then he said, “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’"

God knows where people stand; that should be enough for me. He also says that those who are His children will move away from sin, and that should settle my heart. However, some move more slowly than others. Even though any spiritual changes are a mark of those who truly belong to God, I want to see rapid changes. I’m impatient with vague, slow growth.

To encourage those who are moving slowly, Paul continues, “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”

The more a person moves away from sin, the more useful they are to God. However, this passage suggests that even the rawest recruit in the kingdom can still be useful. The jobs may not seem as meaningful or glamorous, but a pail that pours feed for the animals in the barn is just as important to the landlord as the silver tea service in the mansion.

I am not certain that the people on my “grey area” list are God’s children, or even being used by God at all. However, I can see that He wants me to leave it with Him. He knows who they are. More than that, He is able to pull them out of those shadows and into His light. My part is to keep praying, and, if God gives me opportunity, tell them the truth. If they want to be useful to God, they need to draw close to Him and keep their lives clean.