The following story was told by a minister that I know personally and consider a Brother-in-Christ. It involves a man who came to the United States from India. He came here seeking success and affluence in America. He found something else. Through the efforts of a Christian, this man from India visited a little Baptist church in Cary, North Carolina. His name was Patel.

The Good News of Salvation offered by Jesus struck Mr. Patel’s heart, and he became a Christian. The man from India became Brother Patel. In fact, the wonderful Grace of God so overwhelmed this new Brother that he studied the Word of God and then returned to India to tell his family, friends and countrymen about Jesus.

In a small village in India there was another man who was seeking a god. Actually, he had several little gods that he sat in a semi-circle on the floor of his hut. Each day this man would sit crossed-legged in the lotus position, the position favored by those who study yoga. He would face his gods in the semi-circle and pray to them. The poor man in India knew in his heart that there was a God, a Supreme Being, who was sovereign and above mankind. But he did not know Him.

The Apostle Paul in Romans 2:14-16 speaks of this innate knowledge that all men and women have. He speaks of Gentiles who do not have the Law and yet know in their hearts what is right and what is wrong. The man in the village in India knew. He was seeking God.

For years he had faced this assortment of gods and prayed to them. One morning he became distraught. He had been praying to these little gods for years and there had been no response. The man knew there was a God, and he cried out to Him to show him which of the little gods was the one to which he should pray.

Out of the several wooden and stone gods he had before him, the Indian man had one favorite. This favorite god was a little taller than the others. At the moment he cried out to God in his anguish a village dog wandered into his hut. There was no front door. The dog proceeded to hike his leg and urinate on the man’s favorite idol!

The man did not understand. He was very confused. At this moment came another “coincidence.” Brother Patel came to the door of the hut in the village in India. Brother Patel explained who God was, and how He had provided salvation and forgiveness of sin through Jesus. The poor man in India also became a Brother-in-Christ because someone in Cary, North Carolina invited an Indian immigrant to church.

God hears the prayer of the repentant soul. Unbelievers cannot approach the Lord’s Throne of Grace as Christians can because we are His children . . . we are family. But the all-knowing, all-seeing God does hear the prayer of a lost soul seeking to become His child.

Brothers and Sisters, in my opinion, the time, the Day of the Lord is drawing near. We must sow as many seeds as we can. One of those seeds may find fruition in another Brother Patel. To God be all Glory!