jce

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

We read in the Bible that God called Abraham according to His will and made him walk in righteous ways. And generation after generation his posterity were led by the Lord to walk in the paths of light and live exemplary lives. Likewise today, let us also know the will of God who calls us and choose to walk with reverence in righteous ways. Then, the Lord by His grace will give us His abundant peace and joy as light in our lives. As it is written “Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.”(Psalm 97:11). King David had spoken these words through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. David was known to be the man after God’s own heart. He reminds us of a perfect example of every individual. Though he had sinned against man and God, he surrendered himself for reconciliation and pleaded for forgiveness to the Lord with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

A head of a family, an ex-serviceman, was a slave to the habit of smoking and other kinds of evil habits. He did not know the greatness of the salvation of the Lord and he was just a name-sake Christian. Then one day, he learnt about the “greatness of salvation” through the message of a servant of the Lord who came to his town, surrendered his life to the calling of God and started to walk in His righteous ways, as a new man. But his relatives and his colleagues began to make fun of his devotion. But the Lord seeing his zeal and fervour and his walk in the path of light, set him free from all evil ways and miraculously made him receive His light and joy to stand as a good witness for Him. Moreover, He gave these blessings to his descendants too.

Dearly beloved! Many in the world sin and yet have no remorse about their sinful nature. And some others; they would change for good but they wouldn’t want to give away the materials, fame and position they inherited through sinful deeds. They may never have conviction. The change could be, because of fear or any incapability. A true repentance comes with remorse and a contrite heart which is brought through the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Look what the Scripture says about this in John 16:8 that “When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:” King David and the ex-serviceman whose testimony we just read have had the conviction of the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit also leads us to the truth that we are God’s children (Romans 8:15-16) and also assures our Salvation. It is such an experience that we need to have that we can be assured that we are forgiven. So, you too should zealously surrender your life to the Lord and receive the Holy Spirit and keep yourself clean and righteous to bring about a great generation and be blessed with joy in your life.

Prayer:

Blessed Saviour! Hold my hand and lead me to follow the joyful way of salvation, to do good deeds and to be a good witness for You, generation after generation. Lord, I praise You for doing so in my life. In Your matchless name I pray, O Father, Amen.