Kids club had just ended and we were playing soccer with them when Sarah walked over to some teens that appeared to be too cool for school. Sarah started being her friendly self and asked them questions. Chels and I joined in the conversation. Quickly God was brought up. Lydia, a Romanian missionary, was translating for us.
“Oh, we know Him, we believe in Him,� one of the teens affirmed.
“Do you know what Jesus did for you…what He did for us?� Sarah asked.
They gave us quizzical looks.
“Can I tell you about Jesus?�
They nodded, but in a way that communicated they really didn’t care and just wanted us to leave.
Sarah started to share but it was evident they had no desire to hear what she had to say.
“Sarah, share your testimony,� someone interjected.
As soon as Sarah started sharing her testimony about how she was addicted to alcohol, and was caught in the ways of the world, the story grabbed Lorenzo and his girlfriend, Addie’s attention. Sarah shared about her addictions, and how she formerly thought this was the perfect life. What people strive for in life she had: friends, popularity, fun times, money, and guys. But deep down it wasn’t even close to satisfying her. She was afraid, questioning her future. She wanted more but did not know what that was. God gave her an option.
“You can be either satisfied with Me or you can keep your life of little pleasures that leads to devastation.�
Sarah wanted more; she gave it all up because this life wasn’t satisfying her anymore. It sure was not easy, actually it was painful, but it was worth it!
Sarah finished by sharing what her life looks like now; how she has traveled the world telling people what God has done for her and for others. It is so important to her that she left the comforts of her home to tell others.
Even though Lorenzo’s face was glued on her and he seemed shocked in facial expressions; he continued to play it cool with his words.
“I have a good life.� Lorenzo said
“So, do you want to get to know this Jesus?� Sarah asked
“I own my life. It is my life. I can make my own decisions.� Lorenzo smoothly said, smiling at his girlfriend.
As we continued to talk with them both about their lives, what they want to do, and what they like to do, we ended by praying for them. Sarah ran inside and gave them a Bible.
They took the Bible and walked away hand in hand, making out. In some ways he seemed fascinated and in other ways he seemed like he had absolutely no desire what-so-ever.
It is easy for me to talk about God’s love but I need to remember His love is not all rainbows and sunshine. His love has another side… which is His justice….and we would not usually define it as love. Could God really be loving, however, if He were not also just and righteous? You know: we have that hypocritical tendency to want God to “proveâ€� his love for us by making things right and just for our selfish benefit, and yet questioning His love when we feel we are not being treated “justlyâ€�. We can also shift the blame to Him when the consequences of our poor decisions don’t deliver what we hoped for. He gives us freedom of choice, we are not robots. “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might.â€� 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9. We really can’t claim God hasn’t been forthright with us about our choices and their consequences.
Lorenzo has chosen not to believe (he is still blinded). Right now he is choosing to be his own god. We believe the consequences are dire for that choice, so out of love we pray he will realize that he cannot save himself. No matter how good he is or tries to be, he will never be perfect enough to satisfy God’s standard of holiness by his own effort. Please pray with me that God will open up his heart and give him the desire to repent from futile self-worship. That Lorenzo would believe instead that Jesus’ holy sacrifice of dying for our sins is what gives us access to God’s forgiveness and mercy if we will but receive it with thankfulness.
