Why Jesus?
John 1:10-13
10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
I was asked a question this morning in my devotional time. “What convinced me to put my faith and trust in God?”
Honestly, I do not know that there is a simple answer to that. I know some have a life changing moment at salvation while with others it’s a more gradual process. For me, it was a need to be restored, put back together. I felt like my life was falling apart piece by fleshy piece. I lost control of all that mattered to me in what seemed like a very short period of time and I was desperate for an answer.
Now, you might think that sounds pathetic and that desperation makes for bad decisions. The truth is during that season of my life I was brought back to the very basics of what makes life worth while. I learned what was truly important and was able, with God’s help, to refocus on those things like faith, family, and home.
In an effort to improve life for my family I had become obsessed with my job and all that came with that. The fact is in the name of doing my job I had actually forgotten to do the most important part, being there for my husband and my family. I do not take all responsibility for the issues that were going on in my family at the time, it certainly takes two to make a relationship, however, I will admit to having skewed priorities. The brokenness I felt brought me back to a time in my childhood when after my parents had divorced and remarried I felt alone. Even in the midst of 5 siblings I did not feel secure. But, I remember going to church with my sisters and when the pastor would make the altar call I would go down to pray with the prayer partners at the front of the church. I didn’t have far to go because I always sat front and center.
In those moments of prayer and discussion with the elders of the church I had a sense of peace, I belonged. I remembered that years later and that is what I craved. That feeling of peace and contentment. In those childhood moments I felt God had it under control and I did not have to worry about it. When I reached that low point as an adult,again I gave it all to Him and in the ten years since, He has done amazing things not only in my life, my family’s lives but I have witnessed His great work in many other tangible ways. Oh, I could say I have faith because of many academic reasons that support the legitimacy and ultimate truth of the Bible, but the fact remains that I have witnessed the work of God. I am somewhat like John in that I have seen Him for myself. Maybe not His person as the disciples did, but I have observed and felt His unmistakable spirit at work around and through me. My life, attitude and priority has changed in many ways and I give God all the credit and the glory. I have a log way to go and given the Lord tarries in his return or that God does not call me home, I intend to keep looking for ways to serve Him and love people in the process. A quote from a book I recently read summed it up well, “Loving people is the only reason we’re alive.” God bless.
Quote from Karen Kingsbury, Coming Home, 2012.
