|
|
|
|||
  |
Why Me?By Ian Potts Have you ever
asked the question “Why me”?
Perhaps you’ve asked “Why me?”
when things have gone wrong for you or when you seem to have been the one
lumbered with the jobs others don’t want. Usually people find themselves
asking “Why me?” because they don’t feel that they should be treated
differently to others. More often than not we ask this question when we
feel to be treated badly –
rather than when we are treated well.
We can be very quick to grumble and very slow to give
thanks!
Yet the fact is that we
receive so much for which we should be grateful. Everything we enjoy comes
from God - food, drink, sunshine, health - yet we have rarely thanked Him.
We have all ignored our Maker; we have all lived for ourselves; all
selfishly sought our own things and not the things of God (Romans
3:10-23). In fact many live almost as though God doesn’t even
exist.
This does not go
unnoticed.
God’s word, the Bible, tells
us that ultimately God will judge all men and women according to their
deeds without respect to persons (Romans 2:6). All will be judged equally
and fairly, whether they have done good or bad. Everyone has done wrong,
all have sinned, you and me included, and all will be judged according to
their sins. This is only fair. The Bible tells us plainly what we deserve
– “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
Such a judgement according to
God’s righteous standards is the same for everyone. God need spare no one.
Yet the wonder of God’s grace and love is that He has
chosen to spare some! In fact He has chosen to show mercy to a great
multitude. Amongst a rebellious human race which has wholeheartedly and
without exception turned its back upon its Maker, God has a chosen people
whom He loves, unto whom He shows mercy and whom He freely saves from the
“wrath to come”.
The Bible tells us that God
delights in showing mercy and that He is merciful to all those who cry out
to Him for mercy (Romans 10:14). He forgives them their sins and delivers
them from judgement.
How? Does God turn a blind eye
to their sins? Is that fair?
No, it isn’t. God is just and
He judges every sin ever committed by mankind.
Yet God, willing to show His
love towards men, sent His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die in the
place of sinners (Romans 5:8). Christ died in the place of His people, all
those brought to believe on Him and cry out to Him for mercy. He took the
punishment owed to them. God punished His own Son for His people’s sake.
Their sin is not ignored, but is judged in the Saviour - Jesus Christ -
who suffered and died on a cross for sinners.
Yes, all men deserve to be
condemned for their sin for ever. But God, willing to show mercy, chose a
people for whom He would offer up His Son as a sacrifice. Christ died in
their place. Not because they deserved it but because God chose to set His
love upon them freely by His grace, and judge their sins in Another.
Do you recognise that you
deserve God’s wrath just as the next man does? If so, has God opened your
eyes to see your need of salvation from such judgement? Have you been
brought to see what God’s Son, Jesus Christ, really came into the world to
do – to SAVE
sinners?
If you have then you’ll be
brought to see your need of God’s mercy - your need to be washed from your
sins by the blood of Jesus Christ. And if you come to the point of crying
out to God for mercy you will find that He is faithful to His promises and
is merciful to all those who cry out for mercy. You will find that there
is a sure and certain salvation from sin and death to be found in Jesus
Christ. That there is everlasting life, peace, pardon, forgiveness and joy
to be found, and only found, in knowing Jesus Christ and following
Him.
Then perhaps you will be brought to ask the question “Why did the Son of God die for someone like me? Someone who ignored Him all these years, someone who ignored His Gospel, who lived selfishly for himself?”
Perhaps then you’ll really
have reason to ask, “Why me?”
“For
the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
Copyright ©2005 Grace and Truth Online Tracts - www.graceandtruthonline.com
|
|