Acts 4:13,
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. NKJV
Let me tell you about a recent encounter that touched my heart and challenged my spirit. I believe it will yours’ too.
For protection I will call her Ossel. This past week I was walking out of a department store when I saw a woman who has attended here at various times. We stopped and was making small talk when Ossel, a South Korean lady came up and began talking to the woman I was speaking with. It was then that I was introduced to Ossel.
She was bubbling over about Jesus. I was in awe as I listened to her tell me her story. Born and raised in South Korea as a Buddhist. She was a young lady when the Korean War began and most of her family was killed in the war. She met a man, married him and moved to the United States. She had a son. And when the boy was just a toddler, he was killed in a house fire at the babysitters. She told me that her life was in total darkness. That many times she wanted to commit suicide and just end it all. Buddhism offered her no hope, no peace, no answers.
Then, in her middle thirties, someone told her about Jesus and she was gloriously saved. She said for years she had lived in her soul. Her life revolved around her mind and emotions. Living in the “soul” left her filled with sorrow, grief and pain. But when Jesus came in, she began to live in the Spirit and joy, peace and contentment filled her life. Light rolled back the darkness.
1 Peter 2:9-10 says,
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. NKJV
Ossel said that when she gave her life to Christ, she did a 360 degree turn-around. Now, she shares Jesus every day, with every customer and co-worker she comes into contact with.
Ossel is a Life that has been transformed.
If you and I are going to be effective in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and seeing the lives of men, women, boys and girls transformed by His Grace and Love, we too must be lives that have been transformed!
