Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Did you know that your favorite bright yellow blogger is not only a theology buff, but also somewhat of a history nerd? I love history. I have a particular knack for memorizing random dates. For example:
When was George Washington born?
"22 February 1732."
How about Abraham Lincoln?
"12 February 1809."
These are dates I have memorized. Are they important? Yeah. But I can tell you, without any emotion whatsoever, when these two presidents were born. That's because, although they were significant in the history of my country, these dates don't mean a whole lot to me.
For lack of more eloquent terminology, they're just the days some dead guys were born.
But let's try another date:
When were you saved?"
Oh, I know that one too. "03 March 2010."
Tears began to slide from my eyes as I typed that last date. Is that date important to a large number of people? No, not really. A nation was not founded on the events of that day, a war was not won, and history was not changed.
Frankly, I cannot even remember when I learned the birthdates of President Lincoln and President Washington.
But I can remember every detail of the moment when I asked the Lord Jesus into my life.
And I remember the way my precious friend's little hands fit perfectly, curled up between my abnormally large hands like a cradle. I remember every word of the prayer we prayed, line by line, me repeating after her. I remember the way I felt, although there are no words to describe it.
And yes, I'm crying as I remember this, because all of this is imprinted in me.
How do you think of the Lord's Atoning sacrifice for you? Is it something you can just mention off the top of your head? Is it something you know about in your mind, but doesn't mean anything in your heart?
Can you say "Christ died for me" in the same intellectual, detached tone in which you might say, "In fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue"?
Or is it something deeper in your life? Is it something your heart pumps through your veins with every breath you take? Can you feel the power of His love? Does it inspire you to live by His teachings? Do you feel how personal His sacrifice is to you, as an individual?
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, suffered a horrible, agonizing death. And He did it so that someday, you will be able to kneel before Him in Paradise. Is that knowledge imprinted in your innermost being?
Or is it just the day some dead guy died?
~BYR
