By Todd Barrier 

Early Saturday morning, 1:40 a.m., after a long day beginning Friday at 6 a.m., the moment we had been waiting for was happening. Our son was about to be born.  

This moment turned hectic pretty fast. The baby’s heart rate dropped significantly. The nurses put an oxygen mask quickly on my wife and, without even fully finishing the setup, began delivering the baby.  

After a quick, scary few minutes, the baby was out – called a miracle by the doctor.  

Somehow the baby had gotten a double knot and a pretzel shaped knot tied into his umbilical cord – not a good thing and not usually a good outcome, according to the doctor. However, because the doctor and nurses noticed the problem and were prepared to take action quickly, our baby was saved.  

As Christians, we sometimes face the same situation – albeit spiritually but not any less critical.  

We are entrusted by God to go into all the world to teach and to baptize. When people who don’t know God come into our lives seeking Him, they are in a life–or-death situation. Are we prepared to spring into action and help save them?  

In Acts 8 there is the story of the Ethiopian eunuch. He was reading the scriptures. Phillip, led by the Spirit, went to him and asked if he understood what he was reading. He replied, “How can I, except some man should guide me?” (8:31).  

Right after that, the Bible says Philip “preached unto him Jesus” (8:35). Very soon after, the eunuch is baptized and then is able to go on his way rejoicing!  

There was a critical need, and Philip sprang into action because he knew what he was doing – and the eunuch’s life was saved eternally.  

This is the spiritual equivalent of what I described about our baby.  

When these situations arise in your Christian life, will you be ready? Have you trained yourself, through His Word, in the saving of souls? If not, get to it; you could be the reason someone lives!  

Will you help the Word be spread to those in danger of losing their life so they too can go on their way rejoicing?