Testimony
Psalm 40:1-17

Everyone that has come to know God through Jesus Christ has a testimony.  Each person's story of their salvation, how it came about and the impact God has made on their lives as a result, is certainly unique.  Some were raised in the church and were well-versed in right and wrong and in the reality of God.  Others grew up in environments that were anything but holy, and found the saving love and power of Jesus through events that could only be orchestrated by One in control of all things.  Some saw a complete change in their lifestyle, a miraculous healing of their soul, while others began a journey of sanctification under a Father's patient, guiding hand.  Regardless of the differences, though, when you look at the testimony of God's children you will often find many common attributes.

God rescued us.  Salvation is the act of saving.  We each found ourselves trapped in our sinful nature.  Nothing we could do could ever clean us off and make us presentable to the God of justice.  We were wallowing, slipping and slogging through a sinful mire that saw no end.  As hope left us, we cried out to the only One that could rescue us.  Only by God's grace were we pulled out of sin and placed on the solid Rock.

We found overwhelming joy in our salvation.  Being rescued from sin is no small thing.  It took the sacrifice of God's Son to create the bridge between us and Him.  We have been given a new life, more alive than we ever were before!  We have been given every reason to sing praises to the One who saved us!

Our salvation was not earned.  If it were, we would be far more likely to glory in ourselves rather than God.  We would tell people about the power of strong will, how they, too, can have a relationship with God if they would just set their minds to it.  But that is so far from the truth.  Our hearts are overwhelmingly wicked and selfish apart from the grace of God.  Earning our salvation would be nothing more than bribing a corrupt judge.  There is none righteous, no one good.

We cannot keep silent!  Such a wonderful gift, such a loving Father deserves to be proclaimed as often as we can.  We cannot hide what He has done.  We desire to let others know about this amazing story of a God who, even though He had every right to be angry because we turned our faces from Him, loved us so much that He sent His Son to the world to draw all men to Him.  We love to tell the story, and we just as much love to hear it!

We are not perfect, but are being perfected.  We are still in a sinful world, with temptations surrounding us.  There is still a battle between our flesh and the Spirit of God that dwells within us.  Those around us look for us to fail.  The work has begun.  We have been born again, and are only little children learning to walk and run.  But He who began this work has promised to see it through to completion.  Day by day, we see the power of the living God teaching us His will and His way, showing us what He designed us to be, helping us to become more and more like Him.  The more we grow in Him, the more we realize how much we need Him, how much of our life is drawn from Him.

Father, salvation is the greatest gift we have ever received!  How wonderful that you chose to give it to us!  Thank you for adopting us into your family, making us sons and daughters.  Thank you for the love you show us as you patiently guide our lives, teaching us and improving us, showing us how you want us to live.  Thank you for your promise to forgive us when we fall short, not disinheriting us but rather lifting us up so that we can grow more.  Help us to confess these things to you, and help us to proclaim your glory, honor and power to each other and the world.  In Jesus' name, amen.