Dr A Loso Chalai
Immanuel College, Dimapur
Kurl Hahn, founder of Outward Bound ministry said, “There is more in us than you know. If you can be made to see, perhaps for the rest of our lives, we will be unwilling to settle for less.
John Newton the famous preacher who composed the great song, Amazing Grace was once a slave trader, bringing slaves from Africa to England. He was reckless, cruel, immoral, uttering abusive and filthy words. One day a storm in the sea caught their ship and it was about to sink. Newton prayed and they were saved. Following this experience he became a Christian and gradually a total transformation took place in his life. Later he became and ordained Anglican priest and wrote 280 songs including Amazing Grace. After his conversion Newton shuddered at the thought of his previous slave trade and he wrote a pamphlet describing the horrific conditions of the slave trade. The pamphlet was widely circulated to the public including the members of parliament which caused a great awareness about the cruel trade. Member of Parliament William Wilberforce initiated a move to abolish slavery by the British government. The bill was passed in 1807 and Newton lived to see it before his death in December of the same year.
Nicky Cruz was once leader of a strong and fearsome gang called the Mau Maus in New York City. He and his gang members attended the gospel crusade conducted by Pastor David Wilkerson. Nicky and the gang members got converted after they heard about the love of Christ. Later Nicky became a great evangelist and founded his own ministry. The books entitled The Cross and the Switchblade and Run Baby Run give details of his life and ministry.
Let us consider the lives of these two famous people. Who they were and what they became. Incredible transformation of lives can occur through the power of God if we give our heart to Him (Ezek 11:19-20). You may be struggling with sins or habits which you know are not right. God is ready to forgive and change you if you are humble and willing (Isa. 1: 18-20). Once you surrender to God, He will make you a brand new person (II Cor. 5:17). What God can do in you is far above what you know or think (Jer. 33:3, Eph. 3:20)
God has created us in His image, in His likeness (Gen 1:26). We are created to be like Him to be benevolent, creative, kind, loving, forgiving, patient, merciful to the poor, destitute, widows, visiting the sick, comforting the broken-hearted, promoting justice, truth, protecting life and environment and above all showing people the way to heaven (Lk. 4:18,19)
The demarcating line between good and evil is thin. One can turn from good to evil and from evil to good. Turning to evil is easy but turning to good is difficult for which an extra power is needed. That power can be given only by God through the Holy Spirit. Remember you have a strong dynamite in you which has the power to achieve great things if you receive Christ and yield yourself to the wielding power of God. But you may not be aware of the power that is in you. Gideon was from a very insignificant background and he had a lot of inferiority complex. He was afraid of his enemy and hiding. But God saw him as a mighty and brave warrior (Judges 6:11-16) and used him to defeat his powerful enemy. Thus the presence of God in a person’s life can make all the difference.
We all have the potential to become better and it can happen if we allow God to change us.
