When I was a child I lived in a spiritually divided home. My mother's godly gentleness was a tower of strength for me. God was practiced by her, but seldom spoken about, out of respect for my father, whose only expression of God came in the form of curse words. He was what some people would call a "man's man." Spiritual things were not on his radar; he was tough, never cried, and seemed overly stern from the perceptive of a small child. Visiting friends would try to avoid any encounter with my father, so as he prepared to come home from the work day, they would scurry on home.
Even with, what seemed to me, a mighty prowess, it was always evident that my mother’s inner fortitude out-weighed my father's efforts. For my father, the idea of surrender was viewed as out of the question for a man like himself.
But then one day an utterly miraculous thing happened. My mother’s unprepared spirit-directed words revolutionized our household.
On invitation my father began to attend some Christian meetings being held at a local theater. We all held our breath as he attended meeting after meeting. God manifested Himself there and met my father face to face. With tears flowing from a now open heart, he fell to his knees in humble submission. The surrender was complete; the change was incredible!
Mary was in her teens when the angel Gabriel appeared to her with the shocking words: “You who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!" (Luke 1:28.)
It was revealed that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and she would conceive a son. Not just a son, but the long awaited for, Son of the Lord God Almighty. His name would be Jesus; name above all names.
This holy conception was beyond comprehension, and totally unexplainable, but the evidence walked among us as Matthew wrote, “The people living in darkness have seen a great light; those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” (Matthew 4:16)
This same Holy Spirit that came upon Mary to produce Jesus within her does the same thing for you and me. Our Father uses this event as a physical demonstration of the process of conversion. When Nicodemus sought out Jesus that night, he was in search of something he did not, at that time, possess. As Jesus often does, He came straight to the point, identifying Nicodemus’s need, “ you must be born again,” He said, which seemed quite confusing to Nicodemus. "How can I enter my mother's womb a second time?" he questioned. “I tell you the truth, you must be born of the Spirit and of water," was Jesus’ response. (John 3:1-7)
When invited, the Holy Spirit comes upon us and the birth of Jesus takes place all over again. With that change He now calls us the light of the world. Scripture actually says that we are Jesus' mother, brother, and sister. (Matthew 12:46-50)
It is at this moment of new birth that the onlooking world is witness to the profound change that takes place in the life of a sinner — from anger, greed, selfishness, and fear, to a life that reflects the attributes of Jesus.
The greatest evidence that God exists was, and will always be, a changed life, a life that now exudes love, joy, and peace.
I'm so glad my earthly father opened his heart for the Holy Spirit to come in. I'm so glad I was a witness to the birth of Jesus in him.
copyright 1/2/2015
