Jesus Christ suffered for my sins. He paid the price. I woke up today knowing this in my heart. I saw it. I felt it. I know it. I feel so grateful for Him, that He would pay for me. I feel that I would do anything for Him. I love Him. I trust in Him. He is my Rock, and my salvation.
My heart is changing. I trust less in money and the things of the world. Instead, I put my trust in God to give me all I need. He has the power. He gives good gifts. He gives us times of plenty, and times of lean. I needed to learn this. I needed to put my trust in Him, to take Him as my Savior, to accept His offer of salvation, and bring it into my heart. I love Him. I am so thankful for His mercy and grace, that He would care enough for me to descend below all things and suffer for my sins. He loves me. I love Him because He loved me first. (1 John 4:19) He is the Rock. He is my salvation.
I know He did this individually for each of His children, because He loves them. "There shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent." (Mosiah 3:17) Money doesn't save. The love of man doesn't save. Things don't save. Friends don't save. Business doesn't save. Only He saves. He saves all who come to Him and seek Him and put their trust in Him. His greatest desire for all of the children of God is that they come to Him and be saved. Everyone can, if they will.
The tempest rages around me. My world falls apart, like Job. The foundations crumble. Whereas I was adept and self-sufficient, having everything I wanted, I am now weak. I have nothing. I am nothing. I can do nothing. All my efforts are useless. My friends and family have no power to help. Nobody I hire can help. My wife leaves and says I'm being irresponsible because I don't provide for my family. My children leave. I have no money. I have no home. My best friend died. My business is in a coma for years, and all my efforts are in vain to wake it. I go deeper in debt, and have no power to get out. I'm bankrupt in every way I can think of. I struggle with staff and patients, but mostly I struggle with just the sheer hopelessness of it all. Everything I have used as a foundation is gone, and I'm left with nothing but a storm raging around me and no shelter.
The Lord is with me, asleep. I wake Him. "Carest thou not that we perish?" He takes me into His house and says, "Peace, be still." And all the wind and hail stop. They just stop instantly. I can feel the storm no more. My situation hasn't changed, but I now have a different outlook. I have no worries. I have no cares. I can trust in Him and His grace and tender mercies. I no longer need money or a successful business, or a house, or friends, or a wife and children, or anything. I only need Him. He gives me peace in my heart.
The storm rages, but as He pulls me under His roof I see the crumbled foundations of my old, ruined house, built on the sand. He restores all things. This house is not of the world; it has a foundation in Eternity. He built and paid for it. It is a gift. I know in my heart that He already paid the price so I wouldn't have to. I only need Him because life is only in Him. Mercy. Grace. Love. Faith. Charity. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27) I can now witness for myself that His words are true! Peace through the Lord, Jesus Christ, is real!
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