My last article included my thoughts about Christmas, the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Although I will not say how many other birthdays she has had, it was my wife's birthday this week. And so my final article of 2008, “A Lame Beggar & a Beautiful Young Woman”, is the result of some thoughts I have had regarding her. You will need to read the entire article to understand the connection between the lame beggar and the beautiful young woman. The short answer to this question is quite simple; me.
In the 3rd Chapter of the Book of Acts, Luke was inspired to record the first "apostolic miracle" following Pentecost. To me it has become one of the most profound and telling miracles found in Scripture. In verses one through ten we read, “Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. And a man who had been lame from his mother's womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, 'Look at us!' And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, 'I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene-walk!' And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”
The Divine One had clearly orchestrated this meeting of the lame beggar and His two apostles. We read that this man had been lame from his mother's womb and learn later that this "man was more than forty years old" when this miracle occurred. The religious leaders had described it as "a noteworthy miracle" and although they wished to, they proclaimed, "We cannot deny it". "Weak" could not sufficiently describe the condition of this man's legs and lower body prior to the miracle. Forty years of unused muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons had left him utterly helpless to stand, walk, or leap.
The word tells us that the lame man was brought to the gate of the temple every day. I suppose that he had long abandoned any hope of using his legs. Sure, I believe that when he was younger he had undoubtedly longed to be able to walk and run like the other boys and girls. Perhaps he had even hoped and thought that he might be able to do so one day. But as the many years had passed, so had the thoughts and hopes of his younger years. There is no question in my mind that he had woken this day like so many days before. He would be taken to the temple gate where he would beg alms. And he would return again the following day and each day thereafter. I'm not sure of what all he would receive on any given day but his meager existence seemed dependent on his daily begging.
He certainly did not know it and had no reason to expect it, but on this day his life would be changed forever. On this day, the Sovereign One would accomplish a "noteworthy" miracle in his life. On this day he would be given new life and hope for tomorrow. On this day he would stand up and walk. On this day he would leap and praise God. He would not be carried to the temple gate tomorrow to beg alms. He would be a lame beggar no more!
As I considered the lame beggar, I couldn't help but see myself. Oh sure, I have never been lame in the same manner as he was and could not imagine the life that he had lived for more than forty years. But I concluded that I had also been lame from my mother's womb; crippled if you will, by sin. In my lameness, I was also weak and incapable of doing anything about my condition. I too sat begging at a "temple gate" but mine was of the world. The world seemed willing to give me what it had to offer, but as I know now, that too was a meager existence. And nothing it had to offer could remedy my crippled condition.
Peter and John did not find me lame and begging but a beautiful young woman came into my life. Like that of the lame beggar and the apostles, I am convinced that the Divine One had also orchestrated our meeting. But like the beggar, I was not expecting that which I would receive from her. Perhaps I would receive an interesting conversation or a date or maybe even a girlfriend. Like Peter and John, she did not possess silver or gold. In fact, she may have thought that all she had to offer was a broken life. But she wholly gave me her heart and she shared with me the gospel message of Christ. I had not expected the first and new nothing of the second. But within six months of our meeting I had become the recipient of a new life in Christ and was married to the woman who has remained the love of my life. And so it is that my wife's birthday is special to me. I was quickly approaching the age of three when this little girl was born and only our loving and gracious God knew that He would heal the "lameness" that we shared and would one day make us to be one. He is to be praised.
Like the lame beggar, I too had become enabled to stand, to walk, and to leap for the first time in my life. Sure, I had been able to stand, walk and leap with my legs since I had first learned how as a child. But now I found myself standing in Christ, empowered to walk in truth and privileged to leap in my heart and soul out of praise for the miracle God had performed in my life. And like the lame man, I no longer had to beg at the gate of the temple. I had also been given hope for tomorrow. I know that God was not dependent upon this beautiful young woman to accomplish His will in my life but I am so thankful that she was the vessel He chose to work through.
Father, on her birthday and throughout the year, I thank you for my wife. Thank you for bringing her into my life as I sat as a lame man, begging for the things offered by the world. Too often the flesh is prone to return to the life of a lame beggar. Help me to keep my focus on your Son and the abundant life that is found in Him alone. I know that I am not always found "walking and leaping and praising God". Help me to do so as I ought. In this coming new year, may you cause each of your children to be renewed in their faith and with a leap in their heart and soul, live lives praising you.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
A Baby, A Savior - My Thoughts For Christmas, 2008
Over the years I have heard the various thoughts that some have had on whether or not to forgive certain groups of people for the death of the Lord Jesus. I understand that some have even made public announcements of their forgiveness to one group or another. I remember wondering if they would take the next step and offer to forgive the Father for sending His only begotten Son into the world to die on a cross for you and I. Oh how great the inability of men to comprehend the things of God without spiritual discernment.
The scripture is clear. Jesus was born to die. It has been said that His cradle lay in the shadow of a cross. This may not have been literal but in type. But again, perhaps as the dawn broke that first Christmas morn, the morning light cast a shadow of a cross where the baby lay. I suspect no one would have noticed. We do not and could not celebrate any other birth as we do His. It is with great irony that we consider Christmas and the babe that lay in a manger. The matter and purpose of His birth is not harmonious with how we think of a child’s birth. Beyond His death itself, is an even greater irony; the cause thereof. The scripture tells us that death is the wages of sin. The scripture also tells us that Jesus was sinless; that He "knew no sin". I must take a few moments to consider this before I share my thoughts on Christmas.
It was God who established the law of sin and death. We are forced then, to consider a sinless Jesus and this matter of death. I would suggest that it was impossible, a contradiction if you will of God's law, for Jesus to simply die. In fact, without sin I don't think it was possible for Him to die at all. But die He did, the just for the unjust. We find the answer to this mystery in a tragic, yet glorious truth. Again, make no mistake; He had no sin of His own. He died for my sins. But addressing the correlation between sin and death clearer, we read that He "bore our sins in His body on the cross", or even more pointedly expressed, He was made "to be sin on our behalf". My sins alone would have been sufficient to cause His death but He bore much more than mine. No less than the sins of the world would be borne by this little child who laid there in such innocence that first Christmas day.
The Gospel of Matthew records the following for us in Chapter 1:18-21. "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
The Gospel of Luke records the angelic announcement to the shepherds of the Savior's birth in Chapter 2:8-12 as follows. "In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Oh, how we needed someone to save us from our sins! Sin had a solid grip on us. We could not get away. It would not let us go willingly: If we were to beg and plead with it to give us our freedom, it would stone heartedly reject our pleas. And if we fought against it with all our might, we would find that our efforts were all in vain. But praise God for the "good news of great joy". This babe lying in a manger had come to save us from our sins!
There He laid, the only begotten Son of God, partaking of flesh and blood. I don't know how long He was or how much He weighed. I suppose it matters not. I don't know if he had a lot of hair or not so much. I don't know if His mother's labor was difficult or not.
In the beginning He was laid in a borrowed manger and at the end He was laid in a borrowed tomb. Merry Christmas.
The One who knew no sin was now lying there in a world where all knew sin. Merry Christmas.
The One who found His welcome in a cattle stall will one day welcome me to His heavenly home. Merry Christmas.
He was found by the shepherds, wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger; but was found not amongst His grave clothes by His disciples. Merry Christmas.
Those little ears that first heard the voice of his parents and the animals nearby, would one day hear the loud shouts of the people saying, "Away with Him!" and "Crucify Him!" Merry Christmas.
That precious little face so adored by His mother would one day be spat upon and beaten. Merry Christmas.
The small nose that first sensed the smell of His mother and the animals and hay would one day smell the smell of blood and death on Golgotha's hill. Merry Christmas.
The smooth skin that His mother and father caressed would one day be tom from His body by scourging. Merry Christmas.
That little sweat head that lie in a manger would soon grow, that He might wear the crown of thorns that would be pressed upon His brow. Merry Christmas.
The soft hair on His head would change as He grew and one day would be matted with the blood from His brow. Merry Christmas.
Wood timbers, like those used to compose the stable and manger would one day be used to build His cross. Merry Christmas.
Those precious little hands and feet, marveled at by His parents, would one day be pierced through with large nails to suspend Him from His cross of crucifixion. Merry Christmas.
The mother who longingly gazed down in adoration of her baby, lying in a manger, would one day gaze up at Him in agony as He bore her sins and ours. Merry Christmas.
The kind little eyes that first looked up at His loving mother from His crude cradle would one day look down at her from His cross with a love like no other. Merry Christmas.
And that little mouth. Oh, that little mouth. The small cooing sounds spoken from His manger, that brought delight to His parents, would one day say, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing", bringing hope to a lost world. Merry Christmas.
Yes, that little mouth that would first utter cries to see His needs met would one day meet our greatest need as He cried once more with a loud voice; "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?" Merry Christmas.
At His birth the angels proclaimed that He would be found, wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger. Following His death there came the victorious announcement when He was not found lying in His tomb. "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said." Merry Christmas!
Christmas. Perhaps there is nothing more ironic and nothing more grand. This babe lying in a manger; the Son of God sent to save us from our sins. Merry Christmas!!
Father, we simply marvel at your unspeakable gift. Thank you for saving us from our sins. Amidst the irony of it all, thank you that we can say with tidings of great joy, "Merry Christmas".
The scripture is clear. Jesus was born to die. It has been said that His cradle lay in the shadow of a cross. This may not have been literal but in type. But again, perhaps as the dawn broke that first Christmas morn, the morning light cast a shadow of a cross where the baby lay. I suspect no one would have noticed. We do not and could not celebrate any other birth as we do His. It is with great irony that we consider Christmas and the babe that lay in a manger. The matter and purpose of His birth is not harmonious with how we think of a child’s birth. Beyond His death itself, is an even greater irony; the cause thereof. The scripture tells us that death is the wages of sin. The scripture also tells us that Jesus was sinless; that He "knew no sin". I must take a few moments to consider this before I share my thoughts on Christmas.
It was God who established the law of sin and death. We are forced then, to consider a sinless Jesus and this matter of death. I would suggest that it was impossible, a contradiction if you will of God's law, for Jesus to simply die. In fact, without sin I don't think it was possible for Him to die at all. But die He did, the just for the unjust. We find the answer to this mystery in a tragic, yet glorious truth. Again, make no mistake; He had no sin of His own. He died for my sins. But addressing the correlation between sin and death clearer, we read that He "bore our sins in His body on the cross", or even more pointedly expressed, He was made "to be sin on our behalf". My sins alone would have been sufficient to cause His death but He bore much more than mine. No less than the sins of the world would be borne by this little child who laid there in such innocence that first Christmas day.
The Gospel of Matthew records the following for us in Chapter 1:18-21. "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
The Gospel of Luke records the angelic announcement to the shepherds of the Savior's birth in Chapter 2:8-12 as follows. "In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Oh, how we needed someone to save us from our sins! Sin had a solid grip on us. We could not get away. It would not let us go willingly: If we were to beg and plead with it to give us our freedom, it would stone heartedly reject our pleas. And if we fought against it with all our might, we would find that our efforts were all in vain. But praise God for the "good news of great joy". This babe lying in a manger had come to save us from our sins!
There He laid, the only begotten Son of God, partaking of flesh and blood. I don't know how long He was or how much He weighed. I suppose it matters not. I don't know if he had a lot of hair or not so much. I don't know if His mother's labor was difficult or not.
In the beginning He was laid in a borrowed manger and at the end He was laid in a borrowed tomb. Merry Christmas.
The One who knew no sin was now lying there in a world where all knew sin. Merry Christmas.
The One who found His welcome in a cattle stall will one day welcome me to His heavenly home. Merry Christmas.
He was found by the shepherds, wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger; but was found not amongst His grave clothes by His disciples. Merry Christmas.
Those little ears that first heard the voice of his parents and the animals nearby, would one day hear the loud shouts of the people saying, "Away with Him!" and "Crucify Him!" Merry Christmas.
That precious little face so adored by His mother would one day be spat upon and beaten. Merry Christmas.
The small nose that first sensed the smell of His mother and the animals and hay would one day smell the smell of blood and death on Golgotha's hill. Merry Christmas.
The smooth skin that His mother and father caressed would one day be tom from His body by scourging. Merry Christmas.
That little sweat head that lie in a manger would soon grow, that He might wear the crown of thorns that would be pressed upon His brow. Merry Christmas.
The soft hair on His head would change as He grew and one day would be matted with the blood from His brow. Merry Christmas.
Wood timbers, like those used to compose the stable and manger would one day be used to build His cross. Merry Christmas.
Those precious little hands and feet, marveled at by His parents, would one day be pierced through with large nails to suspend Him from His cross of crucifixion. Merry Christmas.
The mother who longingly gazed down in adoration of her baby, lying in a manger, would one day gaze up at Him in agony as He bore her sins and ours. Merry Christmas.
The kind little eyes that first looked up at His loving mother from His crude cradle would one day look down at her from His cross with a love like no other. Merry Christmas.
And that little mouth. Oh, that little mouth. The small cooing sounds spoken from His manger, that brought delight to His parents, would one day say, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing", bringing hope to a lost world. Merry Christmas.
Yes, that little mouth that would first utter cries to see His needs met would one day meet our greatest need as He cried once more with a loud voice; "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?" Merry Christmas.
At His birth the angels proclaimed that He would be found, wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger. Following His death there came the victorious announcement when He was not found lying in His tomb. "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said." Merry Christmas!
Christmas. Perhaps there is nothing more ironic and nothing more grand. This babe lying in a manger; the Son of God sent to save us from our sins. Merry Christmas!!
Father, we simply marvel at your unspeakable gift. Thank you for saving us from our sins. Amidst the irony of it all, thank you that we can say with tidings of great joy, "Merry Christmas".
Friday, December 12, 2008
A Quick Reminder
He "made known" to the shepherds the birth of Jesus, prompting them to go and find "the baby as He lay in the manger". He gave Peter, a fisherman, revelation to proclaim that Jesus was "the Christ, the Son of the living God". On the road to Damascus, He sovereignly introduced Himself as Jesus to Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee. To Lydia, "a seller of purple fabrics", He opened her heart to receive the gospel message of Christ spoken by the apostle Paul. For all who find themselves believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, members of the Way, members of the body of Christ, He has "caused us to be born again to a living hope".
My "quick reminder" is simply this. No matter how desperate and evil things appear to be in the world and no matter how imperfect things are in the Church, the Holy Spirit is moving mightily all over the world. God is still opening the hearts of men and sovereignly revealing the truth of Jesus to men, women and children "according to the kind intention of His will".
I believe this statement is true today and will be true tomorrow. Somewhere in the world today, December 12, 2008, God opened the hearts of men, women and children and revealed to them the truth of Jesus; that He is "the Christ, the Son of the living God". They have received their "introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand". Praise God!
My "quick reminder" is simply this. No matter how desperate and evil things appear to be in the world and no matter how imperfect things are in the Church, the Holy Spirit is moving mightily all over the world. God is still opening the hearts of men and sovereignly revealing the truth of Jesus to men, women and children "according to the kind intention of His will".
I believe this statement is true today and will be true tomorrow. Somewhere in the world today, December 12, 2008, God opened the hearts of men, women and children and revealed to them the truth of Jesus; that He is "the Christ, the Son of the living God". They have received their "introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand". Praise God!
Friday, December 5, 2008
A Wonderful Change
Hoping and praying for changed lives has been a recent theme at our home. And at our church we have been praying specifically for the spouses of church members who are either unsaved or forsaking the “assembling together, as is the habit of some”. We do so, in part because we care, but also because we believe that God changes lives.
It has been said that the changed lives of Jesus’ disciples was one of the greatest evidences of His resurrection and fulfillment of His promise to send the Helper. On the night preceding His crucifixion, Jesus had prophesied to His apostles that they would all fall away from Him. We are most familiar with Peter’s protest to this statement, but when Peter had said, “Even though all may fall away, yet I will not”; the scriptures tell us that the others “were all saying the same thing also”. Their heart’s desire was strong but their ability to follow through on their commitment was lacking. And so it was that each of them fell away as Jesus had said they would.
But as promised, the Helper (Holy Spirit) came into their lives on the day of Pentecost and each of them were changed. They were given new life in Christ. They now had the power to be witnesses for Christ. In Acts chapter five we find the apostles being arrested for teaching and preaching in the name of Jesus. There had been a previous arrest of Peter and John where upon their release they had been threatened to “not teach or preach at all in the name of Jesus”. On this second arrest, those who opposed their message of Christ had “laid hands on the apostles, and put them in a public jail”. You may recall the account; during the night an “angel of the Lord” had opened the prison doors and sent them back out to speak to the people of Jesus.
Having resumed their call to speak of Christ, the apostles were then re-arrested and brought back to answer to the Jewish Council for continuing to do that which they had been forbidden to do. While being questioned, the high priest is recorded as making the following statement to them. “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” Without a doubt, these men’s lives had been changed! These men who had all fallen away from Christ that dreadful night were now being accused of filling the city of Jerusalem with their teaching of Him!
Each one who has come to know Christ has been forever changed. For some the change has appeared more dramatic than others, although in each case it has been a miracle of grace. I so much appreciate the change that was made in Saul of Tarsus’ life. When the Church had suffered its first martyr, the stoning of Stephen, the scripture tells us that he “was in hearty agreement with putting him to death”. He was described as one who was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” when he took the initiative to go to the high priest and request written authority for him to go to Damascus and “if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem”.
But on the road to Damascus the Lord intervened in his life, revealing Himself as Jesus and Saul’s life was never the same again. His name was changed to Paul but his was clearly more than a name change. The man who described himself as someone who “used to persecute the church of God beyond measure” and who “tried to destroy it” became a man whose passion was to “know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death”. His hope was to one day depart this earth and be with Christ.
Each of us who has come to know the One who changes lives was traveling down our own road. I remember sharing my testimony one time and I commented that mine was not the road to Damascus but a road to a destructive lifestyle. A woman, who was much older than I, said that she had been on the same road I had described but had not seen me there. Years had separated our travel down this road but the One who rescued us from it was the same. As the Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:3, we could each say, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”.
In 1914, a man by the name of Rufus McDaniel penned the following words to one of the great hymns of our faith. “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought, Since Jesus came into my heart! I have light in my soul for which long I had sought, Since Jesus came into my heart!” He is said to have written the hymn following the untimely death of his youngest son. He found solace and hope in the wonderful change that had previously occurred in his life “when Jesus came into” his heart. He was praising Jesus, the One who had “wrought” the change in his life.
I found that Mr. McDaniel had written a couple of verses to this great hymn that are not found in our hymnal. One of the verses goes as follows; “I’m possessed of a hope that is steadfast and sure, Since Jesus came into my heart! And no dark clouds of doubt now my pathway obscure, Since Jesus came into my heart!” I love that thought; “Possessed of a hope that is steadfast and sure”. Part of our hope is in a God who changes lives. May we be mindful of this great truth as we pray for those in and outside the body of Christ.
Father, we thank you for the wonderful change you have wrought in the lives of so many since you began to build your Church. I thank you for the wonderful change in my life. I thank you for Jesus Christ, the great changer of lives; the giver of new life! We pray for those who do not know you and ask that you would so work in their hearts and minds that they might declare of your Son; “Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.” Along with Mr. McDaniel, may they one day sing, “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought, since Jesus came into my heart!”
It has been said that the changed lives of Jesus’ disciples was one of the greatest evidences of His resurrection and fulfillment of His promise to send the Helper. On the night preceding His crucifixion, Jesus had prophesied to His apostles that they would all fall away from Him. We are most familiar with Peter’s protest to this statement, but when Peter had said, “Even though all may fall away, yet I will not”; the scriptures tell us that the others “were all saying the same thing also”. Their heart’s desire was strong but their ability to follow through on their commitment was lacking. And so it was that each of them fell away as Jesus had said they would.
But as promised, the Helper (Holy Spirit) came into their lives on the day of Pentecost and each of them were changed. They were given new life in Christ. They now had the power to be witnesses for Christ. In Acts chapter five we find the apostles being arrested for teaching and preaching in the name of Jesus. There had been a previous arrest of Peter and John where upon their release they had been threatened to “not teach or preach at all in the name of Jesus”. On this second arrest, those who opposed their message of Christ had “laid hands on the apostles, and put them in a public jail”. You may recall the account; during the night an “angel of the Lord” had opened the prison doors and sent them back out to speak to the people of Jesus.
Having resumed their call to speak of Christ, the apostles were then re-arrested and brought back to answer to the Jewish Council for continuing to do that which they had been forbidden to do. While being questioned, the high priest is recorded as making the following statement to them. “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” Without a doubt, these men’s lives had been changed! These men who had all fallen away from Christ that dreadful night were now being accused of filling the city of Jerusalem with their teaching of Him!
Each one who has come to know Christ has been forever changed. For some the change has appeared more dramatic than others, although in each case it has been a miracle of grace. I so much appreciate the change that was made in Saul of Tarsus’ life. When the Church had suffered its first martyr, the stoning of Stephen, the scripture tells us that he “was in hearty agreement with putting him to death”. He was described as one who was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” when he took the initiative to go to the high priest and request written authority for him to go to Damascus and “if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem”.
But on the road to Damascus the Lord intervened in his life, revealing Himself as Jesus and Saul’s life was never the same again. His name was changed to Paul but his was clearly more than a name change. The man who described himself as someone who “used to persecute the church of God beyond measure” and who “tried to destroy it” became a man whose passion was to “know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death”. His hope was to one day depart this earth and be with Christ.
Each of us who has come to know the One who changes lives was traveling down our own road. I remember sharing my testimony one time and I commented that mine was not the road to Damascus but a road to a destructive lifestyle. A woman, who was much older than I, said that she had been on the same road I had described but had not seen me there. Years had separated our travel down this road but the One who rescued us from it was the same. As the Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:3, we could each say, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”.
In 1914, a man by the name of Rufus McDaniel penned the following words to one of the great hymns of our faith. “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought, Since Jesus came into my heart! I have light in my soul for which long I had sought, Since Jesus came into my heart!” He is said to have written the hymn following the untimely death of his youngest son. He found solace and hope in the wonderful change that had previously occurred in his life “when Jesus came into” his heart. He was praising Jesus, the One who had “wrought” the change in his life.
I found that Mr. McDaniel had written a couple of verses to this great hymn that are not found in our hymnal. One of the verses goes as follows; “I’m possessed of a hope that is steadfast and sure, Since Jesus came into my heart! And no dark clouds of doubt now my pathway obscure, Since Jesus came into my heart!” I love that thought; “Possessed of a hope that is steadfast and sure”. Part of our hope is in a God who changes lives. May we be mindful of this great truth as we pray for those in and outside the body of Christ.
Father, we thank you for the wonderful change you have wrought in the lives of so many since you began to build your Church. I thank you for the wonderful change in my life. I thank you for Jesus Christ, the great changer of lives; the giver of new life! We pray for those who do not know you and ask that you would so work in their hearts and minds that they might declare of your Son; “Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.” Along with Mr. McDaniel, may they one day sing, “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought, since Jesus came into my heart!”
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