RUN LIKE A CHAMPION

Often we hear an evangelist’s testimony that goes something like this: “I was a drug addict. Then I met Jesus, and since then everything has been wonderful.” That’s a great testimony to the grace of God.
But my testimony is the opposite. As a young man, I had the opportunity to study at some of the great universities in the United States. While a student at Louisiana State University, I met Jesus. Since then I’ve faced many difficulties for preaching the gospel. However, following Jesus has been a great adventure.
I traveled in 1974 to a place then called Leningrad. Fred Starkweather and I had gone to this Russian city to share our faith in Christ. The first place we went was the university. We saw a student sitting by himself, and we began to tell him about Jesus.
He told us something very interesting: “All my life I have been taught there is no God. My parents taught me there is no God. My school taught me there is no God. I’ve never believed there was a God until two weeks ago. I was looking into the heavens and I thought to myself, There must be a God. There’s too much order in the universe. I said, ‘O God, if You exist, would you reveal yourself to me?’ I believe that God answered my prayer by sending you here to tell me about Jesus.”
Not only did that young man give his heart to Christ, but he also wanted us to tell his friends about Jesus. For the next thirty minutes we shared the gospel with scores of university students.
I’ve never seen students so hungry for the gospel. It was such a blessing! My friend, Fred, and I were in a city where we didn’t know anyone. We were in a culture where we felt uncomfortable. We were far away from our families. Yet, God’s presence filled our hearts. He was with us. Our hearts overflowed with His joy.
That night I did some deep soul-searching. I asked myself if it was worth it to travel such a long distance to a city so far away from my culture and home to tell that one student about Christ. Deep in my heart came a response to my own question: “Yes, it was worth it. Christ suffered and died for the sins of the whole world, including that one university student.” It was worth anything to see one man come to Christ and escape an eternal hell.
Our train brought us the next day in Helsinki, Finland. One day later I was reunited with my family, and I knew one young man had came to Christ. He’ll spend eternity in heaven. That day I learned a great lesson. The difficulties of this life can’t be compared to the joy of seeing one person come to Christ.