A Malaysian gangster was extorting money from a dental clinic. When the dentist gave him the cash “payment” he was forced to make, he also gave him a booklet. He said, “Read this. It’s good for you.” The gangster was angry with the dentist for giving him a religious booklet—a copy of Our Daily Bread (sister publication of Our Daily Journey). But the dentist replied, “Please keep it. Wait till you are in a good mood, then read it.” Nine months later, when the booklet accidentally dropped to the floor, the gangster picked it up. As he read its pages, he was convicted of his sins and received Jesus as his Savior.
What an incredible way to be confronted with God’s Word! But was this story extraordinary? Maybe not. For the God of the Bible is the God of the extraordinary. Everything is possible with Him (Mark 10:27). God has said of Himself: “My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine” (Isaiah 55:8).
God’s ways may be inscrutable to us (Isaiah 55:9), but the way to God is simple: Turn away from your sins and turn to God (Isaiah 55:6-7; Acts 3:19). Isaiah says, “Let the wicked change their ways. . . . Let them turn to the Lord that He may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for He will forgive generously” (Isaiah 55:7). And that’s exactly what the Malaysian gangster experienced. He’s now an ex-gangster who loves God and others.
The invitation to come to God is given three times in verses 1 to 3. Come is one of the most inviting words in Scripture. God invites anyone and everyone to come to Him, to find life, and to experience His love (Isaiah 55:3). “It’s all free!” (Isaiah 55:1). Come. If God can change the heart of a gangster, He can change you.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Ruth 4:1-22
More:
What is Jesus’ invitation to us in Matthew 11:28-30 and John 6:35?
Next:
God has invited us to come to Him. Have you accepted His invitation? What must you do to come to Him today?
pjp on March 18, 2011 at 6:27 am
refreshing words Of love & life, simply profound.Tnx very much K.T. Sim. God bless you.
cricket41 on March 18, 2011 at 8:43 am
Yes it is very simple if we don’t complecate it by listening to the negativity in our heads (at least for me). Many years I would want to go to church, and once there in the parking lot would start listening to what my head was telling me, (who did I think I was coming to church? I smoked and drank and was a very bad person) or my clothes were not right, I did not need that in order to be a christian. It went on and on with me in those parking lots and satan would immediatly point out to me my sins, so I always ended up leaving and feeling worse and more ashamed. The day that I truly surrendered was when I started understanding so much!! It was amazing. come, COME AS YOU ARE, right here, right now filthy, stinking, scum of the earth yes God and you all were welcoming me? I could go on and on, and do apologize for my lengthy notes. Once you start coming out of that darkness everything changes and when darkness does try to come in you tell it immediately to get back into the pits of hell where it belongs!!! Also to know and feel that forgiveness, compassion, mercy from God is unexpressable.. Thank you all for listening and letting me put my input here…
Princess Sarah on March 18, 2011 at 10:40 am
Criket, I’m blessed with your post. I specially like the line “Come as you are”. and Amen to what you have testified.
GChoo on March 18, 2011 at 9:52 am
Dear Cricket41
Thank you for your encouraging sharing. I thank God for you and for what he has done in your life. Pray that God will continue to work wonders in your life as you keep close to Him. Your testimony reminds us that there are so many broken hearted people out there who really need to be prayed for, that God’s grace and mercy to be on them to give them the courage and strength to come to Him. It also applies to us Christians who may have strayed from God because of our sins. We can never fathom the depth of God’s grace and mercy and love. What a wonderful living God we worship!
daisymarygoldr on March 18, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Good post and comments!
Sin is to walk in our own ways i.e. to go in the opposite direction away from God. Eventually we get lost and become separated from God. A lost person is dehydrated, famished and unhappy.
God however, never gives up on the lost but continues to seek us out. He lovingly invites us to come and freely enjoy what only He can offer:
– Water to refresh our thirsty souls.
– Milk to nourish and make us strong and
– Wine to cheer our depressed hearts.
In order to turn back and accept God’s invitation, we must first recognize that we are lost. Pride prevented the other gangster on the cross from accepting God’s offer through Jesus Christ. Like the repentant thief, we need not clean up our act to come back to God. But it requires humility to admit we are wrong. Only then we can head back in the right direction towards God.
cricket41, thanks for sharing. Your story has encouraged me to turn away from my sins and turn to God and say: “Just as I am… I come”.