Gladys Knight and The Pips, "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me"

What a wonderful love song this is. And I'm sure that many people felt that their new-found lover was like that. During January of 1974, this hit was playing on many rock and top 40 stations. Listen to the song here:

Do you remember how it felt to be a new Christian? Like me, you wanted to tell the whole world about it. 

According to Jesus, the feeling is mutual. Matthew 18:12-14 (Bible in Basic English) explains, "What would you say now? if a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone wandering away, will he not let the ninety-nine be, and go to the mountains in search of the wandering one? And if he comes across it, truly I say to you, he has more joy over it than over the ninety-nine which have not gone out of the way. Even so it is not the pleasure of your Father in heaven for one of these little ones to come to destruction.

Not only Jesus rejoiced over your salvation but all the host of heaven. Luke 15:7 (BBE) explains, "I say to you that even so there will be more joy in heaven when one sinner is turned away from his wrongdoing, than for ninety-nine good men, who have no need of a change of heart."

Remember too how changed the Philippian jailer became when he trusted in Christ? Acts 16:33 (BBE) showed how the preaching of Paul saved the guard's whole family. "And that same hour of the night, he took them, and when he had given attention to their wounds, he and all his family had baptism straight away."

Even so, the joy of salvation does evaporate in those in whom the Holy Spirit hasn't taken residence. Jesus taught in Mark 4:16-19 (BBE) how this happens. Using an analogy of sowing seeds, he said, "And in the same way, these are they who are planted on the stones, who, when the word has come to their ears, straight away take it with joy; And they have no root in themselves, but go on for a time; then, when trouble comes or pain, because of the word, they quickly become full of doubts. And others are those planted among the thorns; these are they who have given ear to the word, And the cares of this life, and the deceits of wealth, and the desire for other things coming in, put a stop to the growth of the word, and it gives no fruit."

If our Master doesn't return by Monday, I hope to post about how we must always examine ourselves spiritually.

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