ENCOUNTERS WITH JESUS
“But by the grace of God i am what I am,
and His grace toward me was not in vain»
”(1 Corinthians 15:10, NKJV).
All over the world tonight there will be parties. Some will be on the beach, dressed in white. Others will be downtown, surrounded by timed countdowns and unusual glow in the sky from fireworks. Others will be calmer, at home, with the family.
But I propose that you be part of a party in heaven. From the parables of Luke 15, we know that there is a feast in heaven when a sinner repents, but that does not mean that heaven does not rejoice every time we speak to our Savior.
Several years ago, I made it a point to get down on my knees to pray a few minutes before midnight. While the festivities and other conversations are being listened to outside, I like that my last and first conversation is with God.
It is true that it is just one more day on the calendar and that time is something very earthly, but for some reason I feel that it has been valuable to experience that in my spiritual life. We have done it with canvassing groups and now it has also become a family custom. Then we celebrate, but those first minutes are dedicated to him.
This year we begin by reading about an encounter with the risen Jesus. We can end it with an encounter with the living Jesus, who calls us to spend a special time with him.
Martin Luther said: «Preach and live as if Jesus had died yesterday, risen today and will return tomorrow.»
It is no coincidence that you have lived another year, that today you are reading this and have the opportunity to make all your resolutions taken from his hand.
We can say, like Paul: «By his grace I am what I am.» Every day this year he has accompanied us and there would not be enough hours today to thank all that he has done. «His grace has not been in vain for me.»
Let’s go out and tell this good news. Let us be grateful and show with our lives who we believe in, without shame, with the power that comes from him.
Let us ask him that every day we can have a personal encounter with him. We have a positive response assured, because it is a request according to your will.
Hopefully tonight, and every night from now on, we can say: «Today I walked with God.»
