It is a unique story. It has been written and translated into two thousand four hundred and fifty four languages and has been read by billions over the ages. Millions read it every day even today and it keeps transforming the lives of numerous every day. I will tell you another story to help you understand this unique story.
The Characteristic Of That Beautiful Love
On a high rock stood a tall house and on the highest minaret of the house was a statue of a lamb. Somebody asked the owner of the house, “Why have you put this statue up their? Doesn’t it look very odd?” The house owner answered, this strange looking statue reminds of a strange incidence, “While this house was being constructed, a laborer fell off the construction, onto this rock but escaped unhurt; do you know why? There was a lamb standing here and the man fell on the lamb. The lamb died but the man was saved. If the lamb had not died, man would not have been saved. If the lamb had not been here, then the man also would not have been here.” A very strange thing, difficult to comprehend, but true; my death was certain, had Jesus not died for me, I would not have had this wonderful life. Had He not borne the agony on the cross, I would not have had this joy in my life. He is the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world.
The story of His love is the story of the Cross. May God grant me the ability to convey this story to you; and to you to comprehend this story of the Cross. May the Lord reveal His love for you to you today and may this love draw you to Him. I am not writing this for merely telling you something, but my prayer is that your life may be transformed.
Why Does A Person Die?
I will ask you a question – why does a person die? Is it because of age, of accident, of suicide, of bombs and explosives? The Word of God tells us that man does not die of any of these; he dies of his sins “for the wages of sin is death.” Jesus did not have this sin nature of man in Him, therefore He could not die. Then why did Jesus die? Because He took my sins upon Himself. This one death has shaken the whole world. This one death has transformed so many lives and given life to so many that it is unparalleled in the entire human history. He rose again after death; He has life – life that is worth living.
Very Difficult
It is very difficult to love some people; we may hate them but God loves even them. The corrupt, drunkards, gamblers, fornicators – God loves even them. God loves even His enemies. This is the beauty of God’s love. The beauty of His love keeps people bonded to Him. Love is the most powerful. No power can destroy it. Who can separate us from God’s such love? (Romans 8:31)
Man loves sin so much that he is willing to do anything for it. God loves a sinner so much that He is willing to do anything for him. What has not God done for persons like you and me?
Covetousness is sin,
But man does everything for it;
Fornication is sin,
But man does everything for it;
Pride is sin,
But man does everything for it.
But love waits, it endures everything; yes, endures even the death of the Cross. God is love and He is waiting for you. He is putting up with all that you do because He still has hopes from you.
When I Met Myself
When I met my actual self, it was then that I realized what a great hypocrite I am. I am not what I appear to be; neither am I the same as I think of myself to be. My dark deeds were so innumerable that I was ashamed of myself. My secret life was darker than the darkest night. The Lord brought this utterly defeated man from the state of defeat into eternal victory. Maybe there are some amongst you who are reading this who are tired and ashamed of their own selves and have lost all hope. Maybe your dreams have not been realized; you may have hoped for much but achieved very little instead. Maybe your sins have been so reprehensible that you may feel extremely embarrassed to talk about them. But today you have an opportunity to change every loss into gain. Today somebody is telling you, “Behold, I will do a new thing” (Isaiah 43:19). In this New Year, He will make all things new, it is His promise.
Defeated Yet, We Are Not Permanently Defeated
If you are losing your courage, remember, to loose courage is to invite defeat. The fact is that we are not defeated yet. He is capable of transforming our every loss into victory; to bring us out from every discouragement into hope. Did you know this happened in my life by a small prayer, “Lord Jesus have mercy on me.” As soon as Christ came into my life it became radiant. If Christ had not been on the cross, my shameful life story would have been exposed before the world.
There is no enemy so strong that Christ cannot defeat him.
There is no problem so big that Christ cannot sort it.
There is no addiction so severe that Christ cannot extricate you from.
There is no sin that Christ cannot forgive.
There is no obstacle that Christ cannot remove.
His capabilities are far beyond than you can ever imagine them to be (Ephesians 3:20).
Ask The Value Of Life
My friends are unable to forget my mistakes. Though I have apologized for them, but at every opportunity they recall my mistakes time and again; mistakes which my Lord has forgotten and erased. There is a world of a difference between the forgiveness of man and of God.
I had only one motive in telling this story that you may believe in the story of Christ. Ask the value of life from the person who begged for death and did everything he could to die but death kept evading him, every time he reached out for it.
It was my habit to repeat the same things for which I would apologize. But it is His habit to maintain the forgiveness He has given. Even when I persisted in my tendency to do reprehensible things, He did not shy away from offering me forgiveness. How is it that He can love me so? With a very tender touch of His hand on my head, He speaks to me, “You are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). He assures me:
All is yours,
The promises are yours,
Heaven is yours,
The owner of Heaven is yours,
Because, you are mine.
What was I; what has He transformed me into.
What love! What forgiveness!
What a life!
How amazing is my Lord.
All I do is to sing of this love and tell others about it. Now it is up to you what you do of it.
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