when your life is measured in a balance

When your life is measured in a balance.

Weekly Devotion March 19, 2015

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners –of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. ( 1 Timothy 1:15,16).

These are the words of a very religious leader -Paul. He calls himself worst of sinners twice!  He was called Saul the Pharisee. His father was a Pharisee too.  He was a religious leader and according to his religion of Judaism, he would be regarded a perfect person who had never done anything bad, righteous as regards the law. He prided himself and could say he was the Hebrew of Hebrews. But when he met Christ , his position of things changed completely. This is what he said in another place ;  “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ…” ( Philipians 3:7-9).In the face of Christ he calls himself a worst of sinner!  All his goodness was rubbish now . He was shown mercy of God ! . This mercy is found in  Jesus death on the cross who shed his blood for forgiveness of all  mankind good and bad , religious and irreligious to  brings us into a good standing with God.

In my own previous religion, I faced a dilemma since childhood. I would feel I am good and then  bad and often a sense of guilt in my heart no matter how many times I prayed. When I am praying five times a day or fasting during  the month of Ramadhan doing my all to please Allah I feel good , but then at the bottom of my heart I would not have the peace with God.  After prayer or after the month of Ramadhan the “holy” feeling would vanish and would feel like I have never prayed or fasted and felt very irreligious and bad . It was a daily struggle. Just like what the Apostle Paul says, I felt I was a worst sinner with no assurance of salvation. Then I met Jesus. He came into my life .  I came to know that he died for me to make me a saint and righteous. Shocking and unbelievable isn’t it? The Bible says  “He became sin who had no sin so that I may become the righteousness of God. That is true mercy! As a Muslim we believed that God was merciful ( Rahim) but I was not sure how his mercy could forgive my sins now ? After I die? Somehow I could see the balance weighing heavy with sin. I was the worst of sinner as Paul says. But then I believed in Jesus who died for me and rose from the dead. Suddenly, I felt the forgiveness and assurance that if I died today I could go to heaven. I wasn’t like Paul very religious but he still needed mercy of God . What about you? Religious and good? You will still need the mercy of God and is found in Jesus alone. We are saved not by merit but mercy. Someone said “ Mercy is unmerited favor from God himself to an erring people who can do nothing to earn it except to hold out their hands”.