The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD. (Jer. 18:1)
BABA KALENGE WAS EXCITED as he approached me to talk. “Umfundisi, Elmon came to me and stated that he wants to become a Christian. As I presented the way to do so, I asked him what caused him to want to make this decision to be a follower of Christ.
“Elmon told me, ‘Because of God coming to us! For years I have followed the religion of my family and our tribe, but the god we worship seems to be far removed from me. I do not feel close to him at all. As Africans we are taught that God does not come to us, but we are the ones who have to go to Him. The initiative is always on our part. The only way we can connect with God is through the ancestral spirits. By pleasing them, we are told that we can request them to approach God with our needs and concerns. Therefore, it is we who must approach God. The idea of Him coming to us is unheard of.
“‘My heart was moved when I heard that the God of Christianity comes to us because He loves us so much. What a wonderful thought that God takes the initiative to come to me because He wants to spend time with me. That’s the kind of God I want to serve!’”
Stop and thank God for taking the initiative to reach us.
Jim “Umf” Lo is the coauthor of Unholiness: Overcoming the Forces That Attack Your Soul (WPH).
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