DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN?

People can usually recall specific events that mean something special to them, even when they don’t recall the exact date. They can remember and discuss those days vividly and meaningfully. These are days like when they first got their driver’s license, were in an accident, saw a particular movie, went through a bad snowstorm, or witnessed something terrible or beautiful. The reason for their ability to recall those incidents is the impact the incidents had on them.  

One such event should be the day you believed in the name of Jesus and prayed to be adopted into the family of God. It is an event that can never be forgotten because it is the day you moved from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light –when you decided to no longer live to serve yourself and the devil but rather to serve God. That event has synonyms like born-again, reborn, redemption, salvation, and saved. No matter how referenced, it is an experience one will never forget.  

So, do you remember a day like that in your life? I do! Have you ever asked Jesus to forgive your sins and come into your heart? You will remember if you have. If you haven’t, it is not too late; you can do that now. Please don’t postpone making this decision because life is unpredictable; at some point, it will be too late to make that decision: you could be too sick or even dead. Nobody knows what tomorrow holds; you might not be able to make this decision later, and no one else will be able to make it for you. While you could sign a document that authorizes another person to make medical decisions on your behalf, that authorization will not apply to where you spend eternity. The best time is now! Ask God to forgive your sins through the finished work of Jesus Christ, His Son.   

The Bible says we’ve all sinned, and our sins have separated us from God. Since none of us is capable of paying for our own sins, God sent His own Son in the flesh to die in our place (see John 3:16). So, the reason Jesus endured such pain, hostility, anguish, and death was so He could be our sin-bearer and restore our relationship with God the Father. Jesus already paid the penalty for your sins, so you don’t have to; you just need to accept it with gratitude. 

When you make this decision, God will forgive your sins and never again hold them against you, no matter how horrible. He confirms that by saying, “As far as the East is from the West, that’s how far He has removed our sins from us” (Psalm 103:12). He will indwell you with His Spirit to give you the assurance of His love and forgiveness.  

The Holy Spirit will be the deposit that guarantees what awaits you in the future: eternal life in heaven (see 2 Corinthians 5:5). He will instruct you on daily living through what you read in the Bible. This is just the beginning of a new life in Christ. This is where it all starts. Don’t wait for another second; it is that urgent!

God loves you, and there is no better way to express His love for you than what He has already done, allowing His Son to die in your place. There is no other way for you to experience His love except through Jesus because He says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Make this decision and you will never regret it; you will always remember it, and always be thankful for the peace, assurance, and hope that comes with it, even when the world appears to be falling apart.