John 1:29-34
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
Also read: Ps. 37:1-18; Deut. 7:6-11; Titus 1:1-16
Today is my birthday; it is also the second day of Lent. Lent is supposed to be a time of examination of our life, especially our spiritual life. Recently, I talked in a sermon about the “prevenient grace” of God, the grace that comes before us—God’s grace moving and working, even when we don’t see grace at work. In retrospect I can see how grace was at work, even when I didn’t realize it.
I suppose I could say I have had several “conversion experiences.” As a young boy I felt moved one day to walk down the aisle and make a profession of faith in Christ. I didn’t know exactly what that meant, but I felt like God loved me and wanted me to be His. So I went down. As a teenager I had a somewhat similar experience, so I went down the aisle again.
After becoming inactive in the church in my young adult years, my wife and I looked at each other one Sunday morning as our daughter went down the street to meet a friend and catch a bus to a church. “We can do better than this,” we said to each other. So we started attending a Methodist church, pastored by a pastor in the service club to which I belonged.
Even though we had another daughter, our marriage did not last. Yet my faith was getting stronger and stronger as I began to attend to spiritual practices on a regular basis. The whole story is much too long to tell; but life did not get easier. I lost my job, was responsible for my two daughters, I had taken on all the debt my wife and I had incurred.
But there was something different happening to me spiritually. As I continued to read my Bible, as I continued to attend worship on a regular basis, as I began to pray more and more, there was a peace within that I had not experienced before. There was cause for much concern, but somehow I knew things were going to be all right.
Eventually, I met a lady to whom I am still married after nearly 29 years. I believe God called me to a life of fulltime Christian service many years ago, and I still have that call upon my life. Life is much better than it was. Still there are hard things from time to time; but Love sustains me.
It is amazing how the selected Scriptures for today coordinate with my story. Titus 1:16 says, “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their deeds…” I’ve been there and done that with my life. As God wooed me closer I heard a call, “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you…because the Lord loves you.” (Deut.7:6,8) I, along with John the Baptist, can say, “I have seen and have borne witness that this (Jesus) is the Son of God.” (Jn.1:34) And the psalmist writes, “Trust in the Lord, and do good. . . Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will act. Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him…” (Ps.37:3,4,5,7)
May each of us have a blessed Lenten season as we remember we are a holy people, as we bear witness to our Savior, as we trust, take delight, commit, and be still before the Lord.
George Sutton
