“Not by works of righteousness which we have done. but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5).
ONE DAY, BILL HYBELS, pastor and author, was on the shores of Lake Michigan when he felt a strong desire to visit the camp where he had given his heart to Jesus as a teenager. After all, the place was only about l6 kilometers away, so he called the only taxi company in town. The response was no. They would not take him to that place even if he paid more money. Desperate, Bill asked the secretary if she knew of anyone who could help him. Now the answer was yes. It had to do with a man who would do anything to make some money.
About 25 minutes later, the “taxi driver” appeared: coarse in appearance, his body covered with tattoos, and driving a van that almost fell apart when it moved. When he got into the vehicle, Bill noticed that the gas level was on “E.” When Bill offered to pay for the gas, the man at first resisted; he then proposed putting only two dollars, but eventually agreed to fill it up. He had never done such a thing before.
When they arrived at the camp, Bill asked the driver to wait a few minutes. In just moments, Bill spotted the place of his conversion. He had been 17. He was walking back to his cabin at about 9 pm when the words of Titus 3:5 came to his mind: «Not by words of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” Bill had learned that text by heart as a child and, that night, he listened to it powerfully, but he had also learned that nothing is free in life. Then he asked himself, “Could it be that God is personally interested in me and saves me only by His mercy?” That night, for the first time, he gave his heart to Christ.
Back in the “taxi,” the man asked him what he had gone to do on the mountain. Bill told him the whole story of how, as a teenager, right there, he had given his life to Christ.
How can something like this happen?” he asked out of curiosity. In the simplest terms, Bill presented the gospel of Jesus Christ to him. After a long silence, the man spoke. But I’m a loser. Can something like this happen to someone like me?”
When Bill explained to him that there were no losers in Gods eyes, and that Jesus was longing to forgive and save him, the man responded, “I never imagined that this day could end like this! Thank you for saying the things you said about me….. I believe that I will go to church this weekend.
Thank You, dear God. Because Your mercy is extended to every human being, including those who believe themselves to be unworthy and losers.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2022
“GREAT IS OUR GOD!”
From: FERNANDO ZABALA
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
