Pastor's Column: I'm excited
By STEPHEN HUMBER
Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church
I absolutely love this time of year. You may be wondering if I'm referring to the Thanksgiving Day that we just celebrated. It is indeed a special time when we get together with family and friends and remember all that God has done and all that we're thankful for. We get to eat terrific food. We look forward to sitting down together and making memories and perhaps thinking back to times we've had together before. But that's not what I'm thinking about.
I really do love this time of year. If I'm not talking about Thanksgiving, you may be thinking that I'm referring to Christmas then. There really isn't another time of the year like it in America. The whole country is alive with activity. Making travel plans, buying gifts, making special foods, attending parties with friends and co-workers, planning surprises for each other. It's just an amazing time of the year. But that's not what I'm thinking about.
About this time of the year in 1983, I became a Christian. I was a 19-year-old college freshman, and I was as lost a soul as they come. But when another college student explained to me what God was like — that He was holy and perfect. He also helped me see what I was like — rebellious and always wanting to do my own thing.
Then my friend explained to me that because of God's perfection and my sinful nature that I was separated from the life of God. I was pretty sad because I agreed with what he said. But then he told me about Jesus who died for my sinful, rebellious nature so that I could have a relationship with God. I was so happy!
I have never been happier in my entire life. I couldn't wait to make things right with God. I remember telling God how sorry I was for all that I had done and how much I wanted to be forgiven and how thankful I was that Jesus made that possible. And while I didn't understand it at the time, I know that God's Spirit came into my life in a powerful way. Everything changed. Everything was different. God had done an amazing thing in my heart.
And this is the time of the year when I am absolutely captured by the memories of starting my walk with Jesus. It makes the typical Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations pale by comparison.
Well, how about you? Was there a day when you recall that you really surrendered your heart to God and started a relationship with him? I hope so. If you haven't done that yet, I want you to know that you're not the only one that will be excited. In Luke 15, after finding the lost sheep, Jesus said, "I tell you that in the same way there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."
If you've never put your trust and faith in Jesus, know that there is a great cosmic party waiting for you. And I hope you show up.
