“I want to believe.”

We are thankful that some dear Japanese folks came to trust in Christ in 2009. But two other people that stand out in my mind at the end of 2009 are what I call want-to-believe’rs, individuals who say they would like to believe in the Lord rather than that they actually do believe in him.

One is a high school girl who came to a Christmas meeting with her Christian friend. The gospel was clearly presented, and the Holy Spirit was obviously at work. But she comes from a very strong Buddhist family. She said to her friend after the meeting, “I want to believe.,” implying that she would follow the Lord IF it were only easier for her to do so.

The other want-to-believe’r is a grown man, who has read through the entire Bible in the last two years and came to church for several months. He still comes occasionally, but his position in his family is apparently weak, probably being an “adopted” son-in-law. His daughter, who attended a “Christian” high school, is adamantly opposed to Christianity. So it is impossible for him at home, not to mention at work and in other places, to easily believe in the Lord.

In North America one runs into folks like these commonly in places like Quebec, Salt Lake City, and tight-knit ethnic communities in N.Y.C., L.A., and elsewhere, where opposition to biblical Christianity is up-front and obvious. In other places, where persecution is much less obvious, people often quickly say, “I believe.,” but then fall away later whenever any real persecution comes. In hard places like here, however, it’s can be real progress and a reason to hope, to even hear someone say, “I want to believe.”

Of course, we (and more importantly the Lord) are not satisfied with these “want-to-believe” responses. And we will continue to pray for and work with these folks. The Lord can give them the personal courage that they need (Rev. 21:8) or even change their situation if he chooses. So thank you for praying for our two outstanding want-to-believe’rs of 2009. May they become true believers in 2010!