REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME
People randomly go through life having many experiences. Some are burned into our memories forever and others we pass on and soon forget, never to think on them again.
There are a lot of firsts in our lives and most of them we remember: Do you remember your first:
PET ?
DAY OF SCHOOL ?
KISS ?
DATE ?
JOB ?
HEARTBREAK ?
CAR ?
TIME YOU WENT 120 MPH ?
WEDDING ?
CHILD BEING BORN ?
AIRPLANE RIDE ?
TIME YOU LEFT THE U.S. ?
TIME YOU BOUGHT A HOUSE ?
We remember a lot of our firsts, some fondly and some not so much.
One ‘first” moment in my life, that for the others who were with me was the turning point of my life, apparently for them was just one of those unimportant, random moments to soon be forgotten.
There will come a day when every person will be reminded of the times they heard the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ dying for our sins, especially the first time. I remember it so well. It was September of 1972 and I was 14 years old.
In America we who are older grew up in a Judeo-Christian country and practically everyone heard the gospel-but do you remember that first time when you really heard it and understood it and were faced with a decision as to what to do with that knowledge? I do and it was so special to me. That night is burned into my memory and my life has been changed by it forever.
A young man had invited three of his unbelieving friends to a Bible believing church he had just recently started to attend. We sat together with him and had no idea what to expect. We had never really been in church. The kid who invited us took time to explain what was going on and made us feel more comfortable.
The gospel was presented from the pulpit and it got to me. All of us went to the altar to pray after that service. For one of us it was a forever life changing experience and such a wonderful fond memory. For the other two it was apparently just another one of those firsts that was soon forgotten.
When was the last time you thought about the first time you heard the gospel? Did it scare you? Did it change your life?
One day the Bible says every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. For some it will be a natural thing practiced fondly over a lifetime of joyful service. For others it will be a moment of eternal regret, wishing it had been acknowledged and responded to the way it should have been.
If you have responded to the good news that Jesus Christ died for your sins thank Him for His incredible love and sacrifice. If you have never responded to the gospel and asked Jesus Christ to forgive you and be your Lord and Savior why not do it right now?