This morning I attended a funeral of a friend from the local church. There is no better place to help you reflect on life and our mortal bodies than at a funeral.
It gives us the opportunity to see the gift that we are given in each day and in each breath we take. We are never promised tomorrow and never guaranteed our end won’t come out of nowhere.
Days like these always make me wonder if I am doing my part. Am I telling people about Jesus? Am I sharing what life is really about?
This evening as my son and I were talking, he asked me what is this all about? A pretty loaded question for a 10-year-old who was supposed to be going to sleep.
I let him talk. It seemed to be weighing on his mind. He said these were the questions that he was really trying to figure out.
Why did God create us and why didn’t he just leave the world in darkness? Why the animals and why do have books and fans? Who decided to call them books and fans, why not a wind machine?
10-year-olds ask the same questions as adults? Who is this God and why did He create us? They're good questions. They're honest and real.
As I began to talk about God creating people. His most precious creation for fellowship with him (of course he was stuck on the names of things) he continued to wonder why we weren’t left in darkness.
Sometimes it feels as if we were left in this darkness. With questions, not being answered and circumstances not working out. Disaster consuming us all around.
Why was the world not left in darkness? What is our purpose and how can we fulfill that?
Tucked in one of my favorite chapters in Isaiah we see the answer. Although it may seem short it is quite complex.
Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made. Isaiah 43:7 (NASB)
Did you catch that in the middle there? We were created for God’s Glory.
Sounds quite contradictory to our culture where our glory seems a way of survival. If we are not glorifying ourselves we are not trying hard enough.
Verse 8 and 9 say bring out the deaf who have ears and the blind who have eyes to be gathered. Let all the people be brought forth. The one who knows of their former ways, let them be a witness so others may be justified. (my summary)
If you are here today, I want to be this witness for you. I don’t want you to suddenly come to the end of the road. Standing before your creator and say you did not hear or see a single witness to who the Lord is.
My former self was selfish. I was prideful. I was greedy. I lied. I was deceitful. I was a sinner in every sense of the word. I had done it all to offend the God who created me.
Because of that sin, we were separated. Because of the separation, I needed a Savior. Jesus was that Savior.
Perfect. Without an ounce of sin. He came. Died on the cross. Took all of my sins and put the full weight of it on himself.
I know it doesn’t make sense. I know that I deserve whatever I would have gotten. But I was justified. The punishment that I should receive was given to Jesus. I stood trial and was made right. My guilt on Him.
I was made right before the Father’s eyes because I trusted Christ to save me. I trusted that if I let Him put the full weight of my sin and bear it on the cross, He would and could make me new.
He is the answer. He is the reason I am who I am. He is the reason I do what I do. Not for my glory but for God’s Glory. To be a witness to all that He has done for me when I least deserved it.
He took it all for me and for you. But it is not an automatic pass. It is not something that you can work for or earn. Trust me I tried and failed miserably.
God’s gift of salvation is a free gift. Yours for the taking. You just have to be willing to give yourself to your creator. You have to realize that the full weight of your sin can only be carried by Jesus and that it was taken care of on the cross.
I'm not perfect but God sees me through the scope of the cross. I don’t know about you but that is quite a bit of relief for me. I spent a long time trying to do things my way. I understand. He understands. But ultimately you have to put your trust and faith in Jesus because He is THE WAY!
If you have not made that decision for yourself, don’t wait another day or moment. Time is a gift and not one that we are guaranteed. I want you to be able to stand before Jesus and say, I am not sure who that lady was but she told me about you and it changed everything.
He is the answer to all those questions.
Why were we not left in darkness? Because we were exposed to the Light. Jesus is the light. And His light chases away the darkness.
Personal Reflections:
Have you made the decision to accept Jesus as your personal Savior?
If you have, share with us below so we can hear your witness to a Risen Savior?
If you have not, I don’t want you to go away without contacting me. I would love to continue this conversation with you. I don’t want you to come to the end of your life and think if I had only known.
Where and how can you be a witness right where you are?
I am glad you are here. I would love for you to join us at Seeking God Daily. Because a couple friends and I are passionate about sharing God’s Word we have joined forces to bring together a Facebook Group called Seeking God Daily.
Seeking God Daily is a group that offers hope, encouragement, and support in learning God's Word and applying the truths to our walk with Christ.
We want to encourage one another through authentic, honest and respectful conversation as we earnestly seek God daily.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
We're doing life together so come and join in the conversations. You can join this group by clicking HERE! While you are there feel free to invite some friends along for the journey. We would love to have them!
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Labels: Testimony, Witness
Perfect. Without an ounce of sin. He came. Died on the cross. Took all of my sins and put the full weight of it on himself. 
