God’s love is beyond our understanding. God loves us so much that the scripture teaches that at our absolute worse is when Gods grace and forgiveness works its absolute best. I have had the privilege of training and teaching many folks into becoming strong followers of Jesus Christ.
I remember early on in the ministry the first time I visited the hospital as a pastor. I visited a young man who was dying of AIDS. The Doctors called in the family because they didn’t expect him to make it through the night. I remember praying that God would not let this guy die. I remember looking into the young mans eyes wondering if he even understood any word I was saying because he was so sick. I also, remember praying for him and while I was praying, Gods Holy Spirit prompted me to say something bold while his family was right there with me by his bedside. The spirit prompted me to say that God was not going to let him die and that he would definitely make it. I remember adding the words “through the night” knowing full well that God let me know clearly in my spirit that the young man was going to live through the night and then some. I was just too afraid to say so because I didn’t want to be wrong. I said what God told me to say with that disclaimer of course and by God’s grace the young man did live.
The good news is that the young man made it. He not only made it through the night, but he has been living hospital free for the past five years. I was so disappointed though, because I thought for sure that after he got out of the hospital that he would give his life to the Lord but he didn’t. In fact from what I can remember is that he lived a more reckless life once he got out of the hospital than he did before he went in. I remember the young man telling me that he believed in God. He even came to church once or twice once he got out of the hospital.
However, if I knew where this young man was today I would tell him that God still loves him a great deal. I would tell him that God will patiently call out to him again and again until he surrenders his life completely over to him. I would also tell him that just because he acknowledges that God is real, just because he prayed a prayer, just because he came to church a couple of times, just because he’s been baptized does not mean that God knows him as his own child. I would tell him that he needs to surrender his life to Jesus. I would tell him a follower of Christ tries to live in such away that pleases God the heavenly Father. I would tell him that as long as he is alive God is constantly challenging him to change from that old man into the new man. I will tell him that as long as he has breath in his body it is never too late to place his faith in Jesus and began that process toward spiritual maturity.
I would tell him all of these things because I truly love him. I wouldn’t want to be performing this young mans funeral service with the only evidence that he’s a Christian being that he prayed with me, or that he visited the church once or twice or that he told me that he believed.
Jesus said this himself Matt7:21-23“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” That Is such a Sobering Passage of Scripture. God Loves you do you really love him?
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