The Matthew 28:19 Project

God is in the business of changing lives. Did you know that? I know because I am living proof that God can alter the course of a person’s life. As I read through the Old Testament, I learned that God can transform the lives of unexpected people, some of whom weren’t even believers. I believe in God; however, I was not always obedient to the Lord, and I have definitely rebelled against Him for most of my adult life. It was only in recent years that God changed the direction of my life. I am very thankful that my Lord has forgiven me for my rebellion, and He has used my life experiences to lead me back to Him. I serve a loving God, and that truly is amazing.

If you have rebelled against God or are not obedient to Him, it’s not too late for you. God can change the direction of your life. That is what He desires to do! He wants to bring you back to Him and help you use the talents He has given you for His glory rather than your own. Will you let Him do that? Will you return to Him? Will you dedicate your talents to Him?

You aren’t the only one who has turned away from God, just as I’m not the only one who has returned to Him. The examples are all around us and in the testimonies of those in our lives. Guess what? There are plenty of examples in the Bible, too! For instance, I was reading about King Hezekiah the other day, and it struck me how obedient he was to the Lord. He found the Law of Moses, read it, believed it, and completely changed the direction of his life. God changed his heart. One small moment in King Hezekiah’s life changed the course not only of his life but also of everyone in his life. He called together his people and declared that their parents had been unfaithful and had done evil in the eyes of the Lord. Their wickedness caused the Lord to forsake them and turn His back on them. He made a declaration that he “intends to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us. My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him and serve him…” (2 Chronicles 29:10-11)

King Hezekiah decided that he and his people would follow the Lord. The people under King Hezekiah’s rule listened to him and immediately changed their hearts and their ways. They began to follow the Lord. God changed their hearts. Just as He changed the direction of King Hezekiah’s life, and just as He changed the direction of my life, He changed the direction of their lives, too.  Isn’t it truly amazing how forgiving God is!

King Hezekiah isn’t the only one who had an encounter with God, and that one moment transformed his life. God is all about transforming lives. One of the most notable examples is Saul, whose life was forever changed. You may recall that Saul was fiercely opposed to those who followed Jesus, building his entire life around persecuting Christians. As he traveled to Damascus, a bright light from heaven suddenly shone around him, and he fell to the ground. A voice asked, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul asked, “Who are You, Lord?” The Lord replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It’s hard for you to fight against the truth.” At that moment, Saul was terrified and amazed, but he asked, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” The Lord told him, “Get up and go into the city, and you’ll know what to do.” (Acts 9:1, 3-6)

That life-changing encounter with Jesus was followed by Saul being filled with the Holy Spirit, turning him from a man who threatened and even murdered Jesus’ followers into the apostle Paul, who led thousands to Christ. Paul wrote most of the New Testament, and his teachings continue to guide Christians today. It’s mind-blowing to think that God transformed Paul’s life thousands of years ago, ultimately changing the lives of nearly every Christian today.

God is sneaky. He changed the direction of my life, and I didn’t even realize it at the time. I started listening to gospel music, reading the Bible, attending church regularly, and listening to sermons during my morning commute to work. Before I knew it, I was creating a website to help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, writing a blog, and producing digital content for my church’s Facebook page. He completely changed my life. It wasn’t just me, either, because He changed the course of King Hezekiah’s life. He changed the direction of Paul’s life. Guess what? He can change your life, too!