Aaron grew up in Morehead City, NC, in a large, very religious family where going to church every week was just something they did. Every time the doors were open, Aaron and his family were there and, as a child, he made a confession of faith and was baptized. But, for Aaron, it was like the choices were already made for him and his only option was to go along with the program. Though he believed in God and called himself a Christian, he never really came into a living personal relationship with Jesus and never decisively lived out his faith. His was kind of a second-hand faith.
When Aaron was old enough to make his own choices, he decided that he had had quite enough of religion and church and could get along just fine without either, so he walked away from the faith of his childhood. The problem is Aaron was also walking away from God. He “kind of felt bad about it” but he thought he was quite capable of making his life work just fine without God. Little did he imagine the downward spiral his life was take. His sin and self-indulgence took him farther from God than he ever intended to go and cost him a bigger price that he ever intended to pay. He has been on the street for several years, just surviving from day to day.
Aaron told me today, “I’ve been thinking more about God recently and trying to do little things to work my way back to God.” I told him that as good as his intentions were and as noble as his deeds may be, he could not work his way back to God—and he didn’t have to! That God has made a way through Jesus Christ and all we have to do is come to him in faith and surrender and God would bring us back to himself. Aaron agreed that he wasn’t making much progress and agreed to give up control of his life to God. We prayed together right there on the park bench on Main Street and Aaron asked Jesus to be the Lord of his life.
Aaron is one of those guys I believe God will use to help bring a revival of faith to the streets. God is up to something wonderful!
No comments:
Post a Comment