FRUIT IN THE OKANAGAN VALLEY

Picking apples at Davison's orchard

Vernon, British Columbia is fruit country.  Growing apples was the main commercial fruit for the Vernon area, but all kinds of fruit were harvested, berries, peaches, pears, plums etc.  My work concentrated on spiritual fruit.  Sometimes I gave an invitation at the close of a service for people to come forward, but most often I would ask if people wanted to be remembered in prayer to raise their hand.  Let me share a couple of stories about spiritual fruit that was picked.

One Sunday night at the conclusion of my sermon I gave an invitation.  A total stranger, a young man that I had never seen in church before, raised his hand for prayer.  As was my custom, I walked to the back of the sanctuary to greet people as they left.  When this visitor, who was with one of our regular attenders, reached me, I said to him that I noticed that  he had raised his hand for prayer and inquired as to whether he would like to talk.  He responded in the affirmative.  We went to my study and I had the privilege of leading him to the Lord.  Since he lived in Nakusp, BC, one hundred and twenty miles from Vernon, I only ever saw him once more.  He came to a Sunday service when he was visiting his friend that attended the church.

Fast forward about twenty years into the 1980's.  One day when I was pastor in Calgary, I received a phone call from this man.  He began by saying that I might not remember him.  When he told me his name I immediately replied saying that I certainly did remember him.  He then continued and said, "I found out you are living in Calgary and I wanted to phone you and thank you for leading me to the Lord."  Wow!  What an encouragement.  This was the first that I had ever had any update on him. He said that he had continued to grow in his relationship with the Lord.  At the time of his phone call, he was an elder in the Evangelical Free Church in Kindersley, SK.  When I asked him what the date was that he prayed to receive Christ, he said that it was Easter Sunday evening 1965.

I'll share one more story about spiritual fruit.  One Sunday evening I preached on the subject of Hell.  Once again greeting people at the door, I shook hands with a young man, who was a brother of one of our members and also boarded with the brother and his wife.  I knew the young man and when I posed a question as to his spiritual life, his answer was not a positive response.  I motioned him to the side and we sat on a back pew.  I asked him if I could pray that he might settle his relationship with God.  He consented and I prayed for him.  We shook hands and he left.

The next night was a work bee at the church.  When this young man's brother arrived at the work bee, he was so excited.  He started rapid fire talking to all who were there about his young brother's decision to receive Christ, assuming that I knew all about it.  I didn't.  I told him that I only prayed with him.  The long and short of it all was when this young man got home that night his brother and wife were not home.  This young man went to his room and in the quietness of his room, all alone, invited Christ into his life.  He shared with his brother and wife the next morning that he had prayed to receive Christ without giving them all the details.

Though I was not an orchardist like many in the Okanagan Valley, I am thankful that I was able to see spiritual fruit being harvested.

 Vernon Alliance Church Choir