Isaiah 57:18: "I have seen his ways, and I will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners."
At the moment we are facing many trials and tribulations, just to mention COVID-19 and our personal struggles at home. Perhaps God has been tugging at your heart's strings as He has been tugging at mine. Perhaps you have had thoughts of giving up the things of this world which may not seem so harmful but you know is not good for you? Perhaps you also felt that there are certain burdens you need to cast aside in order to now fully live for the Lord?
Do you too feel that the time is short? Do you wonder if it will be possible for you to get to that place where you once were spiritually?
I recall a specific time in my life where I went through a very deep life-changing spiritual experience. It was round about my matric year and I recall how differently my life was. I experienced a quickening in my spiritual life which in turn revived my everyday life. I fell in love with God and was truly passionate about the things of His Kingdom. I did my devotions, sometimes even three times a day. I prayed, always kneeling down, seeking the Lord. I lived more healthfully. I exercised daily and I rested well during the evening times. I led youth meetings and conducted baptismal classes. I did telephonic evangelism with my friends. I visited hospitals with the church youth and shared God's love with the sick and dying through song and His Word. I remember preaching fiery sermons during youth weeks of prayer and revivals at the church. Something within me moved me to truly dedicate my life to the Lord for the first time.
I was baptized at the age of 12, but I never really understood God or had a deep-seated love and passion for Him and His ways. As I grew in His grace during that time, I was moved by the Holy Spirit to dedicate my life to God for real for the first time and I decided to be re-baptized round about the age of 17 or 18.
It was a small baptism one Saturday afternoon. Only a few people were in attendance, but I felt the Holy Spirit moving upon my life. I felt passionate and certain about the things of God. I was willing to give up all pleasures, all worldly attractions and even relationships for God and for His cause. Whatever He would call me to do at that stage of my life, I would do. I would die for Him. I would live for Him. I would sacrifice for Him. In the days and weeks and months to come, that was exactly what I did. I recall speaking to one of my friends one afternoon at choir practice at church, telling her that it was time – the end was at hand, and we needed to be ready each day to meet our Lord and our Saviour whom we love. We were on fire for God.
Have you ever felt that kind of love? Have you ever had that kind of spiritual experience with God at some stage in your life? Maybe in your younger years, when you tasted and saw that the Lord was good? A time in your life when you were on fire for Him and when you would give up (and you did give up) anything and everything that separated you from God?
But then something happened! Life happened and it got in the way of your experience with God. We then lose focus of those vows we made at our baptism. We lose that fire we once had. We lose the dedication we had to His laws, to His ways, to His statutes and to His commands. It happens because we start focusing on life here on earth. Life gets in the way.
We go to university, we start dating and we get engaged. We get that new job and that promotion. We buy our first car, we invest in our first home, we plan having a family and children are born. Then we have to take them to school and focus on their education and their lives. Yes, life really starts getting in the way. Slowly but surely we start losing our first love for God, our first real love. We start falling in love with the things of the world because our focus is on the world and its pleasures. Those things become our first priority and we tend to forget the covenant we made with our Lord and Saviour. The covenant that He will be first and that He will be our God and we will be His people.
