The Power to Change

In Acts 26, the apostle Paul is standing before King Agrippa, relating the story of his encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus.   Paul shared that the Lord told him to...
16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'

The power of a transformed life is compelling evidence of the reality of God - as people see us living for Christ, I believe that they will be drawn to Him as He is lifted up through our lives.   And, reflecting on our own change from darkness to light can help us when those difficult times come and we are vulnerable to losing our way, not able to see clearly and to experience Him - we can be strengthened as we recognize what He has done in our hearts.

Colossians 1 says:
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.  
This week, a very special memorial service was held at Washington's National Cathedral for Chuck Colson.  As Dr. Timothy George noted in his remarks, the news of Colson's conversion to Christianity was met with skepticism.   When news of Colson's conversion to Christianity leaked to the press in 1973, the Boston Globe reported, "If Mr. Colson can repent of his sins, there just has to be hope for everybody."   You see, Chuck had the reputation of being a hard-core political operative, a White House "hatchet man", and someone who admittedly took part in "dirty tricks".   While it may have been hard to handle for some, the presence of Christ in and through Chuck became a winning force for good in our culture.

Yesterday, the world of entertainment was stunned by the announcement that the so-called "Queen of Disco" had died of cancer at the age of 63.   She was known by the overt sensuality that was present in songs such as "Hot Stuff", "Bad Girls", and "Love to Love You Baby".  According to the New York Times, she became so depressed that in late 1976 she attempted suicide, she wrote in her 2003 autobiography, “Ordinary Girl: The Journey,” written with Marc Eliot. She began taking medication for depression and became a born-again Christian in 1979.   That decision was apparently greeted by skepticism by some.

Michael Levine, who was Summer's publicist at one time, said her Christian faith played an important role in her as she got older.  Levine said she even held Bible study at her home every week.  "She was very committed to God, spirituality, and religion," he said. "Her passion in her life, besides music, was God, spirituality and religion."

There was certainly skepticism when a well-known persecutor of the new Christians after the death of Jesus claimed to have converted to Christianity.   The apostle Paul had a dramatic experience on the road to Damascus, and became a great missionary, travelling from city to city establishing churches, and the work of God through him became compelling regarding the authentication of his ministry - he wrote much of the New Testament.   Ananias was certainly skeptical when he was directed by the Lord to minister to Paul.   In Acts 9, we read:

Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name." 15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel."

Life change is dramatic and powerful evidence of the reality of Christ.   When you think of Chuck Colson, Donna Summer, and the apostle Paul, who some may have regarded as beyond saving, you can also be encouraged that God isn't finished, and that He is continuing to seek and save the lost.  There is hope for the person, no matter who far he or she has wandered from God, who will come to the Lord in humility and repentance, confessing Christ as Lord and receiving His forgiveness.   And, we can be thankful for the life change that He is working in our lives - He never gives up on us!!