When His Love Broke Through

 I had a rare privilege of getting to host my spiritual father this past weekend. Let me explain. I invited the man who lead me to saving faith in Jesus to lead a workshop at Spring Creek this past weekend. I owe that man a debt I can never repay. My whole life changed because he courageously talked to me about Jesus, even though I was a complete stranger to him. Jesus saved me. His love broke through. 

It was a fall Thursday night in 1983. The few times I had attended any religious services made no great impact on me. I did not understand the full picture. I knew a few Bible stories. I even dabbled in the Bible on a few occasions. I did not connect all the dots. I could not see the full picture. I did not understand the gospel. The love of God had not broken through yet. 

God's love broke through when Eli shared the simple gospel message that Jesus died and rose again to pay the penalty for my forgiveness. God opened my spiritual eyes and brought understanding. It all made sense. The love of God seemed so real. For the first time in my life I understood why Jesus died on the cross. I jumped at the opportunity to be saved. God's love broke through years of confusion, sexual abuse, physical abuse, insecurity, anger, and pagan living. He made me a new creation that night. Old things passed away and I became new. A spiritual new birth. 

My whole life changed when God's love broke through. 37 years and seven months later that love is still breaking through like this morning in my devotion. You can read about that God encounter in the post titled, Who Am I?

His love overwhelms me. To this day, I do not fully understand it. He loved me when I did not love Him. He has continued to love me when I wandered from Him. He has loved me when I failed Him and disappointed Him. He loves me through my stubborn resistance to conforming to His image and will. He loves me in meaningful encounters. He loves me through life's ups and downs. He loves me when my faith is weak and fragile. He loves and restores me when I blow it. He loves me when He helps me succeed. 

I yearn for His love to breakthrough to others at Spring Creek and the surrounding community. I love for His love to breakthrough to the skaters at McGratton Park. I yearn to see His love breakthrough to the addicts, the down and out, the upwardly mobile, the celebrity, the obscure, to all races. May it breakthrough for you. He loves you. May that love overwhelm you like a downpour of a thunderstorm and breakthrough your heart. May His love engulf you. May His love transform you.