I still recall the day my wife and I sat in church service and watched a man come down the aisle and take his seat. What struck me most was his appearance. The tattoos on his arms and neck alluded to untold stories of his troubled past. His long shaggy hair grazed his shoulders, and his dark sunglasses hid his eyes.

At first, I thought this man was here because someone forced him as part of some rehab program. I could tell others saw him the same. He didn’t fit these Sunday worshipers’ mold, and although no one said anything, everyone thought the same thing. “What is he doing here?”

Week after week, month after month, this man came to church and sat in the same seat. Somber, quiet, yet attentive, he never greeted anyone and didn’t sing along during worship music. He wore the same dark sunglasses, long hair, and mysterious demeanor. One day, however, things changed.

He walked into church with his hair cut, clear glasses, and sat towards the front. He was greeting others, singing along, and taking notes during the service. He continued this for months until the pastor called him up to the altar during service one day.

The pastor then recounted how Dale, a Vietnam vet with a problematic past, had given his life to Christ and wanted everyone to know. To demonstrate this commitment, he requested to be baptized before the entire congregation. Dale then gave a few brief words and was baptized.

His remarkable story reminds me how all of us, through God’s grace, were called to the knowledge of salvation, and only by His grace are we saved. God will take us and use us for His glory, regardless of our past. Let us thank Jesus for his love to do the and help others discover the same.

Daily Directive:

Answer and Journal the Following

Read:

Read and meditate on 1 Timothy 1:13-17.

Pray:

Have you given your life entirely to Christ? Past, present and future? Why or why not? Be real; be honest.

Meditate / Make It Real:

Pray and ask God to help you understand His miraculous grace and mercy through his son Jesus Christ. There’s no more extraordinary gift than this.

Share / Show:

Share and show what you’ve learned with someone else.