THE ONLY THING POWERFUL ENOUGH TO CHANGE OUR HEARTS [ACTS 9:1-20]
As we grew up, most of us were accustomed to seeing crucifixes in our churches, in our homes, and perhaps even at school. For years, we may have looked at them, never really understanding what they meant. And then one day, we looked at a crucifix and it took on new meaning. The reality of God’s love for us that is in Jesus began to penetrate our minds, and a real love for our Savior took root in our hearts.
Paul’s conversion was intense and dramatic, but God’s act of opening our eyes may not cause as great an upheaval. Nevertheless, the revelation of Jesus as the One who gave His life for us is the only thing powerful enough to change our hearts. No matter how far along we are in the Christian life, if we do not grasp this truth as an ongoing revelation, our faith and our love for God can become a set of rules and regulations that can make us proud or ashamed based on our performance.
Dr. Victor Frankl, in his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, details how he learned the truth of God as a Jewish prisoner in the Nazi concentration camps of World War II. In spite of a brilliant mind a well-disciplined emotional state, Dr. Frankl relates that only through his discovery of who God is and God’s love for all people, did he have the will to survive. It was this revelation that brought him through the holocaust.
The word “revelation” comes from a Latin word that means the disclosure of that which was previously hidden or unknown. Our ignorance and our sin may blind us to the revelation of God’s love, but it is always the Spirit’s desire to reveal Jesus as the Son of God and to open our eyes to God’s purposes for us. Revelation is a process; it requires us to come into frequent communion with God in prayer and scripture reading. Today, let us walk in the love of God to the best of our ability and ask the Holy Spirit to deepen His revelation of the Lord in our hearts.
Jakarta, 9 May 2014
A Christian Pilgrim
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