U-TURN

Post date: May 25, 2014 3:12:38 AM

A few months ago I attended the memorial of a dear woman who my wife and I had been acquainted with 25 years ago. She had been an inspiration to us when we first came to the faith so it was our desire, after hearing of her death, that we should repay her by being present at her memorial service. I sat quietly with a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat while listening to her friends and family recall all their memories of her immeasurable affect on their lives. She was a kind hearted person who had dedicated her life to serving her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. These people had been introduced to Christ by her and were now expressing their thanks to both her and to her grieving family.

Hebrew 11: 6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

One similarity that I saw emerge from each testimony was this woman’s unwavering expectation of an eternal destiny spent with Christ her Savior. Her life and the stories of her daily witness as told by her friends confirmed this conviction as well. It was comforting to know that someday we would meet again in heaven.

John 8: 31-32…If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free”

The subject of immortality was never a consideration for me as an unbeliever; in fact, I had faced death several times without once considering the existence of heaven, hell or the eternal human spirit. The decisions that I made then were reflective of the spiritual starvation that I had been experiencing. If I knew then, what I know now today, I would not have been deceived nor would I have doubted that I had been created in the spiritual image of God. This experience has taught me that a more accurate translation of the term spiritual death is “eternal separation from the life of God”.

2 Corinthians 5: 19 …“that is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

The bible is the written declaration of God’s undying love for humanity. It chronicles both the spiritual fall and the spiritual restoration of mankind. The first violator of God’s command was Adam and it was through his own actions that the human race was plunged into spiritual darkness. The scripture declares in Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Now this deserves some further thought! Mankind is earthbound and corrupt; God abides in heaven and dwells in holiness. Jesus stepped out of his heavenly habitation into the likeness of sinful flesh, became earthbound in order to redeem mankind from spiritual death. The sinless Christ bore the wrath of God’s judgment in mankind place. Our eternal destination is with Christ as our reward. Romans 10: 9 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved.”

2 Corinthians 5: 17-18 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who have reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation;

There is an unexplainable peace that befalls a man after being reunited with his Creator. His outward appearance remains the same while his inward man is bursting with new life. For me, my family and friends witnessed me uncharacteristically sharing my testimony with anyone who would listen. This was uncomfortable for them but for me it was a natural expression of the joy that I had been experiencing within my soul. My life had taken an unexpected u-turn and was headed toward an unfamiliar destination but the contentment that I was feeling was the assurance that I needed to stay the course and entrust the rest of my life to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 John 5:4-5…For whatever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world - our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

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