A couple weeks ago, I read on an atheist’s blog how he’d gone to his wife’s grandmother’s baptism. The grandmother was in her late eighties or something like that. This atheist said, “That’s the way to do it. Enjoy sin for as long as you can and then get saved just before you die.”
There is an account of Jesus saving a man from demon possession. This man’s love affair with sin had stripped him of everything; his family, his livelihood, his sanity, his freedom. We read that he lived in caves, and struck out violently toward all who approached him. While others attempted to bind this man with chains, Jesus “looked with compassion” as He saw yet another soul in bondage to sin.
Most everyone is familiar with this account where Jesus sends the demons from this man into a heard of pigs. Those who hate Jesus and the religion that bears His name can only focus on the huge loss to this farmer as his herd of pigs was drown. Those who love Jesus notice the loss of pigs but focus on this man regaining his life, his sanity, his family.
. Like atheists, people from this man’s village told Jesus to get away from them.
. As with atheists or anyone else making such a demand, Jesus did as they requested.
Jesus will not force anyone into a relationship with Him.
He values your freedom to choose even more than you do.
. Focussed only on the cost of such a relationship, the heathens wanted distance between themselves and Jesus.
. Focussed on what had been done for him by Jesus, like all people who’ve entered a healed and forgiven relationship with Jesus, the man wanted to show his gratitude by serving and obeying Jesus. In fact, the man immediately became an evangelist going to his family and town to tell them “how much the Lord has done for you. Tell them how He had mercy on you.”
This man got lucky.
Sin will always:
Keep you longer than you ever wanted to stay
Take you farther than you ever wanted to go
Cost you more than you ever wanted to pay
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment