BY CHARLES G. EDWARDSYears ago I pastored the Adventist church in Evansville, Indiana. I decided to hold evangelistic meetings to strengthen the local congregation. We held the first few weeks of the meetings in the Evansville Coliseum, the largest auditorium in the city. Later we moved the meetings to our own church building.
 
A gentleman named Earl faithfully attended each meeting. His wife and four children were already members of the church, but he was not. His two girls attended the local high school, and his two boys attended our local church school. It was a fine family, and I hoped Earl would see his way clear to join his family as a member of the church.
 
A Matter of Faith
One evening I called on Earl to encourage him in that direction. His wife freely expressed a degree of anxiety that he might lose his job if he didn’t work on Sabbath. She was fearful for their financial survival.
 
As I encouraged Earl to join his family in the church, he smiled and said, “Talk to my wife. I think I have greater faith than she does.” His wife smiled in acknowledgment.
 
Earl worked in the city for a large furniture store that required him to work on Sabbaths. As long as this situation existed, he didn’t think he could join his family in our church.
 
As our conversation continued, I suggested perhaps he could make arrangements to be free on Sabbaths. “Earl,” I said, “I suggest you ask your boss to give you Sabbaths off. If he agrees, you’ll join the church. Just exercise your faith and tell him, ‘I’ve come to believe that I ought to join my wife and children as members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. To be able to worship with them, I’ll no longer be able to work on Saturdays. I’ll be glad to do extra work at other times if needed. I hope it will be possible to do this and continue working for you.’”
 
Above and Beyond
The next Sabbath Earl was all smiles when he came to me at church.
 

“Pastor,” he said, “let me tell you what happened. I went to Mr. Fink, the owner of the store for which I work. I told him I wanted to join the Seventh-day Adventist Church and would need my Sabbaths free from now on. You won’t believe what happened.
 
“The boss said, ‘Earl, you’ve been a faithful worker for us for years, and I wouldn’t think of giving you any problem on that. Of course you can have your Sabbaths free. You’ll have no trouble from us on that at all.’
 
“Then,” Earl continued, “I turned and started to leave his office with a light heart. As I reached the door he called me back.
 
“When I returned to his desk, he said, ‘Now, Earl, I’m a churchgoer myself. I believe in it. When you join that church, don’t be an ordinary pew-warmer. Be wholehearted in your support. Now, I’m a tithe-payer. I believe you should pay tithe to your church. I’m going to give instructions for you to receive an increase in pay, to help you have a little more so you can pay your tithe.’”
 
As Earl finished telling his story, a broad smile decorated his face. “That really strengthened my faith,” he concluded.
 
In the many years that passed, Earl continued to be a faithful, strong supporter of the church. His family rejoiced together and built a multitude of pleasant memories.
 
The apostle Paul wrote: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Eph. 3:20, 21).
 
Countless generations can testify that the blessings we receive when we’re faithful to God surpass almost anything we could imagine.
 
____________
Now retired, Charles G. Edwards was for many years a pastor and departmental leader in California and the Pacific Northwest. He and his wife, June, live in College Place, Washington. This article was published August 25, 2011.