Jubilee

Yesterday I was invited to a "jubilee" at my parents church. It was a celebration acknowledging the goodness of  God's healing hand. The interim pastor had been healed from cancer fourteen years ago. The bigger story was that he came to Christ at that time.

It was a time of praise and worship like I've never seen.  It began at 2:00 in the afternoon and it was a packed house. There were amazing stories of transformation because of God's amazing hand! What a sweet time!

There was one girl in particular that just gripped my heart.  I'll call her Becky. She had a story of addictions that kept me on the edge of my seat.  She currently works with others who have addictions offering them the love of God and hope.

She told a story of having a non participating father in her life. Her mom worked at local cantinas (bars) and was out all night. The young girl was often home alone.  A neighborhood woman took her in and her mom agreed because "at least she wasn't home alone."  The woman smoked and let Becky smoke also-Becky was eight at the time.  By the time she was 13, Becky was drinking Vodka straight and by the time she was 16, she had used multiple drugs and was hooked on crack and pregnant.

Becky spoke of leading a life of prostitution and lawlessness. She lived a self serving life and nothing mattered but satisfying her urge for the drug.  I was memorized listening to her story.  She spoke of spending time in prison for robbery-an act she engaged in, in order to sustain her habit.

Her son was being "raised" by her mom. Finding herself with no place to live, she went to live with her sister. Her sister insisted that she go to a Christian based recovery center and Becky agreed. After 3 weeks she left.  Her issue was "too much Jesus"  Could this be real? Could this Jesus be real? The night she left, she realized that she had walked out on Jesus and asked for His forgiveness and came to Christ that night. Her life has not been the same since. 

As I sat there, I was thinking "I am just the opposite!" I have never done drugs, I have never been a prostitute (except for role playing), I was never pregnant out of wedlock and I enforced the law! So what did Becky and I have in common? Why was her story so gripping? 

Her story was so gripping because I too once said "this is too much Jesus." although I never experienced many of her life experiences, I did go a few rounds with rebellion. I turned my back just enough to resist God but not completely. I didn't want to give God control of my life but I didn't want to completely let go of Him either?  I knew I  couldn't have it both ways.  I had to make a choice.  I chose to give my heart to Jesus. 


Today there is no such thing as "too much Jesus" for me.  In fact, there is never enough of serving, living, and giving to Jesus.  He is my all and I pray that I honor Him daily. 


I am so grateful that God never held my rebellion against me.  Despite my hardened heart, when I came to Christ and told him I wanted him to change me, he took my heart of stone and made me a new person with a heart for Him.  Becky is a good example of God's amazing grace....and so am I.  Every salvation anniversary should be celebrated with a jubilee. 

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in your will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:25-26