Saved Life

 Day 51 (Various Scriptures in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy Chronologically)

The door to the classroom slowly opens.  Boney long fingers are protruding as she hangs on while walking with the door.  Carefully she shuffles her feet as her tall thin body moves with them.  Her hair was a mess.  Her face looked sad and scared.  She made her way to the seat in the room where I was teaching.   I couldn’t help but notice her as she fumbled her way to the place in the Gospel of Luke where we were studying.  Finally, she found it and then looked up at me with the most penetrating look I had ever seen. 

 

After a few minutes she clears her throat and said, “My name is Connie.”  I said, “It is nice to meet you.”  She said as she continued to clear her throat and sip on her water.   “I don’t have much longer to live.  You see, I have inoperable cancer.  The doctors said that I might have three months, maybe four to live.  I am scared.  I have a three-year old named Tony.  My husband divorced me last year and I, well I…(sips on water) want to know Jesus.  Can you tell me about Jesus?  I want my boy to know that his mother gave her life to Jesus.”  I said, “yes Connie, I will tell you about Jesus.”

 

As long as I live, I will never forget the day Connie walked into my class.  Some will question her motives of only wanting to know about Jesus because she was dying, while others will be excited that she turned to him in her most difficult time of her life.  I choose the latter. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”  (The Message)

 

For Connie, Salvation started when she acknowledged her need for Jesus.  She already believed that it was through Jesus that one could experience the relief of a shamed life.  She believed that because of Jesus she could fully immerse herself in the redeemed life and the grace life and the forgiven life and the eternal life.  For Connie, it wasn’t following some five-step process to obtain salvation, rather, it was a desire to surrender her life and allow the redeeming power of Jesus to cleanse her. 

 

The entire class began to share with Connie the wonderful stories of Jesus and their personal relationship they had with him.  After class, Connie and I chatted.  She said, “there is nothing more important to me in this life that I desire more than to surrender my life to Jesus.”  That day, she did!  I will never forget seeing her face as she walked so weakly to the baptismal pool.  Instead of having a sad and scared face, she had a smiling face.  As I held her 96-pound body in my arms, I baptized her.  When she came up, she praised Jesus, hugged my neck and for a few seconds, there were no thoughts about cancer or up to four months to live.  It was total salvation that day.  The crowd cheered and clapped and began to sing happy birthday to her.  For you see, that was her new birthday.  The birthday that matters mostly.  Baptisms are a special event and one that is worthy of cheering and clapping and singing along with the host of angels in heaven. 

 

For three months Connie lived a pretty good life for one who had cancer.  On the fourth month, Connie moved into the next life, the eternal life.  Connie’s story impacted many of her family members.  For they, too gave their life to Jesus. 

 

As Israel experienced the saved life through the sacrifices of animals, we experienced the saved life through the sacrifice of Jesus.  Atonement is a gift through a sacrifice.  Jesus become our Passover lamb sacrifice so that the the Connie's of the world can experience a life free from guilt and a home full of perfection.  

Remember, Be God Controlled!