Bill was a friend I
met in seminary. He was a physician who had lived a blatant lifestyle of total
materialism. He came to seminary because he wanted to learn everything about
Christ and the Bible as fast as he could. He felt that he had missed so much by
ignoring Christianity all his life.
His testimony is a
marvelous example of God's grace and handiwork. He described it this way,
"I didn't believe in God. I didn't want God. I loved my wife and sons, but
I wanted to be left alone to live my life of materialism. Then my sons asked me
to go to a Promise Keepers meeting with them. I thought,' I don't want to go
and spend the weekend listening to preachers spout their ideas of sin.' But I
decided that it would be a great opportunity to spend time with my boys. So I
went and when the speaker gave the invitation, my boys who sat on each side of
me took me by the hand and literally led down to the altar to meet
Christ." Every time I heard Bill tell his story, his eyes filled with
tears of joy because of God's grace on him. Like every believer, Bill's
conversion resulted in a new lifestyle in Christ and giving up his old ways.
God's grace did a make-over and created a "new" Bill in Christ Jesus.
Repentance -- true
repentance -- is the results of "godly sorrow" that includes an
authentic turnaround. It is exciting to see God's handiwork of change on
individuals. The greater the resistance to Christ, the more powerful the change
of lifestyle. Note Saul of Tarsus who met Christ while traveling to Damascus to
persecute Christians. This encounter with the Resurrected Christ changed him
from Persecutor of Christ to Ambassador of Christ to the Gentiles.
True conversion
results from true repentance which involves God's handiwork of change. As
believers and disciples of Christ, we keep turning away from sin and daily
practice obedience to all that Christ has commanded.
Dear Father, thank
you for your grace and gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Empower us to
daily turn from sin and practice good works you have created us to do. This I
pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be strong and
courageous today as God's handiwork,
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