“There is more joy in Heaven”
Lk 15:7
There is a parable in Luke 15:12-32 that speaks of repentance. The younger son got his share of property from his father. He lived lavishly and wasted all his wealth. He repented and returned to his father saying, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” His father not only forgave him but gave him lot of gifts. He was dead, but came back to life; He was lost but found again. They began to celebrate and there was much joy in the house.
Repentance is the first step to salvation experience. Sinful men, created by God can repent for his sins and turn back to God any time while he is still alive on this earth. Forgiveness for sins can be obtained while we are living on this earth but we can neither repent nor receive salvation after our death.
When I repented and accepted Jesus Christ, definitely the heaven would have rejoiced. This happened in Zimbabwe in the year 1998. Along with my wife, son and daughter I had gone there for some work. I was a staunch Hindu, and I had taken the idols along with me. I worshipped them in my room but God had predestined me and he had prepared a different plan for me.
An old couple conducted ‘Troop Church’ every Saturday with my wife for four years. My wife accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as she knew the truth. She came to me and said, “seek, you will find.” She also read Isaiah 44:14-18 to me. The last verse says like this, “And no one considers in his heart, nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, “Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” these words struck me like a spear. Who is true God then? I started asking this question daily.
A servant of God came to me the same day evening and said, “while I was praying this morning, the Lord asked me to visit you.” I thought you might have gone to India, how come you didn’t go, he asked me. During this conversation my eyes were filled with tears. Then he prayed for me. I neither knew the bible nor Jesus at that time. I experienced a deep sense of joy and peace that I could not explain in words. At the same time, I am sure, heaven too might have rejoiced at my repentance. After the prayer my problem got solved and I returned to India happily.
There are many things that can give us happiness on this earth. A few of them are,
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. (Matt 5:11,12).
When you find some of your children walking in truth – 2 John 1:4
When we are sincere and faithful and multiply the talents that are given to us then we enter into the joy of the Lord. Matt 25:21
Prayer:
Lord use each one of us in such a way that every minute heaven is filled with more joy and the hundreds and thousands of people around us repent and accept Jesus as their personal God and savior. Amen!
Sol. Mohana Sundaram AOJ