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Written by Nilaurys García, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Canada
I once heard somebody mentioning that they noticed their friend had done a 360-degree turn in their life. My always curious and visual mind pictured the person doing a full lap around the track’s circle and getting back to the same spot, which seemed odd if they were trying to express that their friend had changed significantly. That’s when I learned that the saying “making a 180-degree turn in their life” means to go the completely opposite direction as they had previously gone.
Following the Christian life is also a 180-degree turn we make to obey and follow God’s commands. The prophet Ezekiel shows us instructions on what we should do to live. In Ezekiel 18:21-22 the Lord says:
But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. (NIV)
It is also true that repentance or “turning away from the wickedness we have committed” leads to change. Second Corinthians 7:10 says that “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” I questioned why some people would have such a hard time leaving their past nature and habits when they decide to turn their lives to Jesus. It seems that the answer to that question is not as easy as one would expect. To consider all our offenses as we reflect upon the actions in our lives and the deeds we have done, we start reflecting on our own behavior and what does not match the life that the Lord has called us to live.
But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die. (Eze 18:27-28)
Then it comes the next step: “Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die people of Israel?” (Eze 18:31). To get a new heart and a new spirit, means to change the way we see things, and start anew to renew our way of thinking. Going back to the initial picture of the 180-degree turn, we could say that now that we followed all the steps to get to the opposite place, we need to replace all that we left behind. The Lord also tells us what He is going to replace our old self with: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Eze 36:26). We have our answer!
What I love the most about reading these passages in Ezekiel is the question at the end of verse 18:31, “Why will you die, people of Israel?”. Why would we do what displeases the Lord, instead of what would bring us closer to Him? If we have heard His word and His commands, He has promised to give us new hearts and spirits. He is willing to forget all our offenses.
So, are we willing to truly repent and live according to His will?
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Written by Chrystal Goff, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas, and sister of Michelle J. Goff
“… The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me…” (Gal 2:20b NIV)
Faith. In the Son of God.
If you met me today, you might not expect that I spent many years adamantly hating the God I thought was talked about in church. I remembered hearing as a kid that He was a jealous God, and we should fear him. That sounded scary to a little girl. Combine that with the fact that every relationship I’d been in had been jealous and abusive. Why would I want to worship a God who would hurt me too? Whenever my mom would tell me she was praying for me, I always said, “Don’t. He’s not a nice dude. Don’t say my name to Him. Don’t say His name to me either.”
While I was hating God and hating my name, He still loved me. Every day, I see different ways He is redeeming the scars of my life to bring others out of darkness and to bring Him glory. I live by faith in the Son of God who has been so gracious to set an example of humility. I live by faith in my Creator who provided for me and sheltered me—always—especially when I was hating who I thought He was.
Now, I’m Spirit-led.
I’m the youngest of four girls. Each of us has eight letters in our names; mom’s does too. There wasn’t intentionality for eight-lettered names until the third daughter. In deciding the fourth daughter’s name, continuity was expected. However, the popular secular eight-letter names weren’t popular with my family. Someone suggested “Chrystal, with an H” instead of the traditional Crystal spelling. Everyone loved it. Everyone except the fourth daughter.
Growing up, my sisters all called me “Chrys,” So when I started kindergarten and roll was called, I acknowledged my presence when “Chris” was called… and my presence was mocked for confusing my name with a boy’s name. Hating the name I was given began.
A few years ago, I asked my sister to teach me the Bible. She’s worked in campus ministry and has loved Jesus way longer than me. I figured she was a good one to ask because her calendar was constantly full of “Coffee and Bible” appointments with students, and I wanted to get on her schedule. Inside she was screaming, “Hallelujah!”, but on the outside, she didn’t want to scare away the curious lost sheep. Slowly, she began revealing ancient truths in Scripture.
The day we were studying Genesis 17 where the LORD established His covenant with Abram and changed his name to Abraham, my eyes were opened to how long God has been loving me. LORD in Hebrew is written as four consonants (YHWH). YHWH is the proper name for God. YHWH is the literal breath of life. Without vowels in the Hebrew translation for YHWH, the pronunciation was unknown.
YaH – inhale
WeH – exhale
YHWH—The LORD added an H to Abram’s name and to Sarai´s. He was giving Abram and Sarai a forever reminder of His presence and a promise of covenant to provide for and multiply Abraham and Sarah’s descendants.
I paused. Putting the pieces together. An H. There’s an H in my name. Pausing in my thought to open my mouth and half ask/half state that’s why there’s an H in my name, a realization hit me: He’s always been with me, even when I hated Him. My sister and I started crying as we let this acceptance of love to and from my Eternal Father wash over us.
Now I love my name. I celebrate it. More of my old self dies each day as I wake up new and excited for His mercies. I wake up and wonder where the LORD will have me share His many mercies and blessings in my life.