Many of us live lives that are damaged, bruised, and broken. Even those who seem to “have it all together” often have scars and reminders of the brokenness we all must deal with. Relationships with those around us – spouse, family, friends, acquaintances are subject to the influences of mood, circumstances, miscommunication, egos, and sin in all its varied forms. It’s no wonder that from time to time we experience pain in every facet of our being whether it be emotional, physical, mental, or spiritual. But this is not our end state. Nor do we have to remain trapped in the lonely, unhappy place this brokenness takes us. In John’s gospel we read. 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” There has been one thought that has rumbled through my consciousness all week that is tremendously liberating. God promises to those who are His that He will never leave us or forsake us. This is a bedrock truth that fits tightly with the cornerstone of faith which is Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
This truth was what Jesus said the day I turned my life over to Him. As I knelt in the chapel at Camp Hardtner in the piney woods of central Louisiana I knew I had an important decision before me. At 23 years of age I had been a church-goer all my life and seemingly for the most part, a pretty good guy… But in reality I was living mostly for myself and there were plenty of times when the choice to do what I knew was right was overwhelmed by the decision to do what I wanted to do in that moment. I was in Camp Hardtner because the leader of the youth group where I was helping had suggested that I go to the Cursillo weekend. Well, a day and a half of being loved on by people who knew and loved the Lord combined with simple, yet powerful talks by people whose lives were being touched by a very real, very personal God had me in the chapel pondering what it all meant for me.
You see, I entered the chapel to get alone for a few minutes to gather my thoughts and try to process what I was hearing, thinking, and feeling. But in reality I was coming to a divine appointment with Jesus. As I knelt there looking at the cross in the chapel I started talking to God knowing that He was real and that He could hear me. As I poured out my questions I became aware that I was not alone. I realized Jesus was right behind me, listening to my words and listening to my heart. I stopped talking and I just listened. Then Jesus spoke to me. Even though it was over 31 years ago, I remember the details very vividly. He first clarified the question. “Dan, will you continue living as you have been living or will you follow me?” He didn’t have to say that my “following Him when it was convenient” wasn’t really following Him. That was what the day and a half at the camp had brought into crystal clarity. I remember at this point holding my hands in front of me, palms up. I saw that I was holding up everything that meant something to me in life…my family, my job, my car, my reputation, even my future hopes and dreams. I guess I subconsciously knew I was making an offering of my life at that point, but Jesus made it even clearer with His next words. At that moment he referred to my left hand and He said, “Dan, this is your life… your parents, your brothers, your sister, friends, job, reputation, your hopes and dreams… everything that you call your own. Everything that makes up your life now.” And then He switched the focus to my right hand which at this point was empty since everything that defined me was resting in a pile in my other hand. And then He said, “This is the life I offer you. I promise you only one thing, I will never leave you or forsake you.”
I knew I had a decision… the most important decision of my life. I had a lot in my left hand compared to what was visible in my right hand – a life given to Jesus with only the promise that He would never leave me or forsake me. But God gave me the faith and courage to make the decision for Him. In my mind I offered up everything in my left hand, one by one, to God for Him to have and do with as He saw fit. My family was the hardest, but at 23, my hopes and dreams were a close second. Funny thing is, in releasing those things, whatever control they had over me was gone. I still loved my family, in fact I believe I have been able to love more deeply, but since they were the Lord’s I did not fret over them. In my case, the majority of the things that I gave up, the Lord allowed to remain and become better because they were now all viewed as gifts from God. The things I needed to give up and be done with were easy to walk from since I had truly “turned them over to God”. I forsook and left those things that were of no lasting value and I gained a relationship with the One who promised never to leave or forsake me. I am reminded of a quote by the martyred missionary Jim Elliot. He said, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
The Lord’s peace gently came over me that afternoon which was greatly reassuring. Our Father meets us in a manner that is perfect for us. I have heard of others who are absolutely overwhelmed by God’s grace and power at the moment of salvation. For me it was more like the tide turned and began to rise. I knew immediately that God and I had entered into a life relationship and I experienced His peace, but over the rest of the weekend that peace and joy steadily grew. By the time the weekend ended I had experienced a healing of my heart that I didn’t even realize I needed and my heart was truly full.
Today, some 31+ years later, I can honestly say God is faithful to His Word and to the specific word he spoke to me that day. He has never left me or forsaken me. That includes the times when I have stumbled in my walk. It includes the few times when regretfully I grieved Him. Even when I have gone through challenging and spiritually dry times, I could look back and see He was there with me through them all. He has remained patient, loving, and present at all times.
As you read this, take heart because Jesus loves you and desires an intimate relationship with you. If you are already His, take a moment to dwell on His promise repeated over and over in scripture (Jos 1:5, Psalm 37:28, Psalm 94:14, Hebrews 13:5, Isaiah 42:16, John 14 – 17) that He will never leave you or forsake you. Rejoice in that truth. If you are not His, I believe you are reading this as another time He is reaching out to you, calling you to Himself. In fact, if you are willing it can be your moment of truth, your moment of decision just like I had in a little church camp many years ago. I encourage you to take Him up on His offer. While my life was already full of stuff, I didn’t realize there was still an emptiness until He offered me a life totally committed to Him. I have learned that a Full Life in Him is way beyond a life full of stuff. And while stuff fades, breaks, gets lost or stolen Jesus and His love will never leave us or forsake us… forever and ever, world without end. Amen.
If you have made a decision for Christ today please let someone know. And drop me a note as I would like to encourage you in your new life in Christ.
Have and unbelievably awesome day today. Be blessed beyond all measure and be a blessing to someone else.
areliablefaith 