God's Love Made The Great Difference
God’s Love Made The Great Difference
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us , God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved.And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realmsin Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2: 1 - 7
We were once hellbound and spiritually dead.We were once living lives alienated from God and away from His loving presence. We were once very far from His ways and righteousness.We once lived as children of disobedience, seeking our own glory and living for ourselves, gratifying the sinful cravings of our flesh.For we were once living outside the kingdom of Godwithout a living relationship with the Great and Awesome God of the Universe.
But one day, God in His mercy, reaches out for us.The Gospel of the Kingdom made a way to penetrate into our lives. God opened our eyes to see our depravity and sinfulness. When we realized our sinfulness we embrace the cross of JesusChrist. That is the day when we found God’s love. God’s love, that is the one that made a great difference in our lives. We will never be the same again after experiencing God’s unconditional love. We have never seen such love before which embraced the worst in us. Inspite of all our filthiness, of all our carnalities, of all our vileness, of all our abominable acts, we are loved and forgiven and were given a new beginning. Not only that, we receive bountiful promises of being heir of the coming everlasting Kingdom of God. God’s love made agreat difference for us, who were once bound for eternal doom, are now looking forward to a very glorious eternal future.
It is indeed God’s love that made a very great difference in the life of Giovanni, a once extreme student activist.It was during the 1960s when Giovanni became deeply involved in student activism. He joined various rallies and demonstrations calling out for the destabilization of the government.When then President Marcos declared “Martail Law”in 1972, Giovannijoinedthe New People’s Army armed struggle against the government.While on the mountains with the New People’s Army, one day he happened to tune into an FEBC DZAS (Christian radio station) and heard this message…. “Come all of you who are weary and heavily laden, and I will give you rest….”
During one military operation, Giovannigot captured by the military and was imprisoned.During the government of the new president then President Cory Aquino , Giovanni received government amnesty and was freed from prison.During this time of freedom, Giovanni got heavily involved in various vices including prohibited drugs. Because of these vices, Giovanni’s health deteriorated tremendously and grew very ill and thin. It was at this point in his life that he contemplated committing suicide. He was about to jump from the bridge into the river when he heard a sweet audible voice saying… “Come unto me all you who are weary and heavily laden and I will give you rest……”
Giovanni was stopped by that voice and search on DZAS station on his radio at home and listened to it everyday.Upon listening daily to DZAS, he was convicted of his sin and accepted Christ as his personal Savior and Lord.He soon regained his health and found a Christian fellowshipand attended a Bible School.Today Giovanni is pasturing a Christian church in the United States.
It was indeed God’s awesome love for Giovanni that made a very great difference in his life. A life which is about to be thrown away and doomed for eternity, found a new beginning and purpose and is now destined for greater glory. God’s love indeed makes a great difference. Christian, what are you still waiting for ? You must share God’s love to make a difference to someone’s life today.