Intention
Nothing is impossible for God, so we can have hope in every situation we face.

Scripture

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”—Romans 12:2

Reflection
I have been meditating on Romans 12:1 as my go-to verse for the last four years. When I was saved four years ago, God showed me that I had become entrenched in the patterns of this world. Through it all, I had convinced myself that what I was doing was okay.

I was a good father, a good husband, a good employee, and a spiritual person. But in reality, the person I was becoming was a protégé of the enemy. I was deceiving myself and others, and I was so intertwined with what the world had to offer. I was being bound by the chains of addiction.

But then Jesus pursued me. The Holy Spirit pursued me. And God—who I had tried to have a relationship with as a Muslim by my works (though I was never a very ‘good’ Muslim)—was choreographing this whole dance and offering me a way out with His grace.

I had to be stripped back, sanded back to bare wood, in order to be painted again in His colours. In His true colours. This meant that first, I had to be vulnerable. In our weakness He is strong. The world I grew up in told me that vulnerability was weakness—certainly not something that I wanted to be.

But then I submitted my life to God, and I trusted Him like the lady who just wanted to touch Jesus’ cloak knowing that she would be healed. He took all of my sin and shame away. Jesus healed me. He took my addiction, He took my struggle, He took my pain. And He did this, not through my works but by His grace, His power, His mercy, and His love.

And this is what he offers to everyone!

Prayer
Lord, I thank You. We are privileged and honoured to be your servants and to know you have chosen us, and that You have known each of us even before we were in the womb. I thank You that You turn our mess into Your message, and our tests into beautiful testimonies. You are always for us, and although sometimes we wouldn’t have chosen the journey we have walked, we know that Your outcome is always the best for us. We know that Your will is perfect for us. May we overflow with the Holy Spirit so that we beacons of light to those around us and lead more of your children into the Kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

31 Days Prayer Points
1. Pray for five people and share the Good News of Jesus with them.
2. Pray that God would use His people to reach one billion people this May.
3. Pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic, both in Australia and globally.

Sam Ghamrawi was a self-confessed ‘no-pork Muslim’ with many struggles before He gave his life to Jesus. Jesus broke his chains and chose him before Sam chose Jesus. Now Sam lives in God’s grace by faith.

www.facebook.com/sekseedwithsam

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