Merciful Father!

(Isaiah 42:3) “A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.”

It is a beautiful morning filled with the anticipation of life; with hope in the air responsibility nevertheless looms and demands obedience to a Holy God. How privileged we find ourselves when we are afforded any opportunity to speak about this awesome Holy merciful God, the One who not only has the power to be merciful and chooses to share it with His creation. It is true that not all understand the grace of God; in fact many run in the opposite direction as I once did. We could not tolerate the light and its radiance, we were once blinded by our own sin; we would look to avoid any resemblance of God’s glory, when a glimmer of light could be seen in the distance, I remember how I would look to high-tail it in the opposite direction. “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." (John 3:18-21)

What then changed in my life, as I once ran after wickedness and the debauchery of sin as my deeds were evil, I could not bear to look into the light. BUT GOD! Who is rich in mercy chose to rescue me from the mire, why many onlookers would ask, “a wretch like you”! I would have to agree with that statement as I obviously deserved the exact opposite, Hell was my fate and yet God not obliged or compelled to answer to anyone, chose to show me mercy and open my eyes and turn me from the filth of sin that I was not only a slave too, but continually went out of my way looking for the next death defying adventure of wine, women and song.  

This morning is International AIDS Candlelight Memorial and I have been asked to share my experience with a congregation of people that I have never met. I have been afforded the highest of all privileges; I now have a platform in which to present the only true everlasting hope for mankind, the GOSPEL! Yet with it comes a great responsibility, water down the truth by presenting a man centred message and I could be involved in condemning people to hell for eternity. If I am to misrepresent my great Saviour’s perfect work I would be in danger of His correction and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God! What responsibility I now face, do I want or need it? Mixed emotions as I consider all my failures as a Christian, and then once I have beaten myself up, I once again am led back to the words of the Apostle Paul; “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16) – Although much of today will be about me living with HIV as many of their questions will be focused and directed at me. I have been afforded the highest of rights as I too may preach a message of hope for those who are without hope. I pray that the goodness of God would abundantly abound today in Him choosing to set the captive free, not because they deserve it, but because God has it in His power to save. It begins and ends with Him. We are in your hands Abba Father, Glorify your Son exalt His name I pray, as time is short and that day of His return is soon approaching. I beg you to exalt your own Name and open eyes this morning to the glory of your name. We understand this statement and depend upon it; “...it is the goodness of God that leads a man to repentance.” (Romans 2:4)  

There will be many bruised reeds in that congregation and I am mindful of the prophet Isaiah’s words; “A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.” (Isaiah 42:3)

One of their questions will be; - Do you think HIV is a punishment from God? And obviously my answer must be YES! But my prayer is that God the Holy Spirit would use this answer to convict men and woman’s hearts of their sin and cause them to cry out on the name of the Lord and be saved. For those who are broken reeds and find their hope but a glimmer fading in the distance, be merciful great Father and flood their souls once again with joy, igniting their hope to once again pursue obedience to your glorious Word. To sit at their Masters feet and to have sweet communion with Him as they sing praises unto Him. There is an old cliché; “cowboys don’t cry” but there is nothing sweeter than shedding tears of joy when we know that our sins have been forgiven, how I relish those moments, praise the name of Jesus as He alone is worthy and He alone has the power to save. Be merciful and saved today we pray!

Signing off

Tyrone