He died for ME! 

   I’d like to share a story with you that my Dad told me some years ago. It’s about an encounter he had one day with my great grandfather Johnson - my mother’s grandfather.

   My Dad, also known as Bob, worked for the West Penn Power Company as a lineman. One day as he was perched high on the top of a utility pole, he noticed a car  swerve in and park below him. It was my grandpa Johnson. He had spotted my Dad’s truck and quickly jumped out of the car, running like a little child to the foot of the utility pole. He was very excited and began yelling something up to my Dad. Thinking there was something wrong, Dad finally made out what he was yelling. He was joyfully exclaiming over and over,” Bob, He died for ME! Jesus died for ME Bob!”

   Dad said that there was such a look of joy and amazement on Grandpa Johnson’s face as he had finally came to grips with this wonderful and soul saving truth. I’m sure that Dad, must have shared that good news with Grandpa Johnson sometime prior to that time; but it was on that day that the Holy Spirit made it real and personal to him. Divine light had opened the eyes of his heart and he had finally grabbed hold of this truth for himself, seeing for the first time the power and wonder of it. It changed him.

   It is one thing to know the Christian doctrine that Jesus died for the sins of the world. Many undoubtedly have even gone through years of seminary training and know this

Christian doctrine in the finest detail, but have never truly had that personal, simple, life changing revelation of, “Jesus died for ME”.

   My sister and brother in law who live near Rochester purchased an inner city house in a gang infested ghetto where they go weekly to feed, love and reveal Jesus to the surrounding neighbors. A couple months ago while my sister was talking with some children, a little girl interrupted her, looked up at her with a look of amazement and said with that same excitement as Grandpa Johnson, “You mean Jesus died for ME?” This simple statement shook my sister as she literally saw the power of that revelation shine on this little girls face.

   It is said that Heaven can be missed by 18”. That’s the distance from the head to the heart. It is possible and sadly common to have the head knowledge without the heart revelation. It is possible that a person may for many years attend religious services, take communion and be very devoted to saying prayers, yet the heart can remain cold and untouched. Only God can supernaturally make the cross of Jesus real to your heart - if you are willing to receive Him. The whole gospel is as simple as, “Jesus died for ME!” Once this gets into your heart, you will be compelled to offer Him your heart, your life and your all.

   It is said well in a few lyrics from the Hymn “Wonderful Cross”: 

                                     When I survey the wondrous cross,
                                    On which the Prince of Glory died.
                                    My Richest gain I count but loss,
                                    And pour contempt on all my pride…

                                   …Love so amazing, so divine

                                   Demands my soul, my life, my all...

A letter was recently found that a respected Christian man had written -