My youngest daughter and I arrived home in the middle of the night from the airport, from visiting my son in California for a month, to find that people were camping in our lounge, sleeping on the floor and that we had to step over bodies to find a seat.
They were quickly awakened by the commotion we caused carrying in our luggage and we found out that it was a mother and her three teenage children, who were without a home, employment or the finances to find accommodation for even one night. A local lady taxi driver saw them roaming the streets and kindly picked them up. She was a member of the cell group weekly gathering in our home, and as she did not know where else to drop them, she brought them to our duplex.
This destitute mom had been married to a psychopath, who from time to time sexually assaulted her so badly, resulting in such physical injuries that she had to be hospitalised on more than one occasion and he was eventually arrested, convicted and jailed for raping his own wife.
During the years of this marriage, and as a result of the physical, mental and emotional abuse suffered at he hands of this man, his wife became dependent on painkillers, and later also addicted to alcohol and other substances.
This family was totally dysfunctional and self-destructive.
Now they were separated and he was serving a lengthy sentence in jail again. She had brought the children to Durban in the hope of finding employment and a safe home for her family.
She had no self-esteem. Her handsome teenage son, who was the father's constant companion, and who had been introduced to nightclubs, alcohol, sexual orgies and escort agencies by the father, was displaying extremely damaging and destructive behaviour. He was smoking pot, using ecstasy, sexually active and involved with a number of young teenage girls and had dropped out of school at age 16.
Dilemma... what to do? Loving and accommodating them would be the first step. Introducing them to the Lord an urgent priority and finding them a home, and employment for the mom and eldest daughter, a desperate need.
"Now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our
hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Rom. 5:5
They were invited to join us going to Sunday services and to attend our weekly cell meetings, and the Holy
Spirit's prompting soon convinced the mom and the youngest daughter to submit their lives to God's saving grace and loving care.
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may
abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Rom. 15:13
They now came to the understanding that the next step in their relationship with the Lord was obedience to the instruction to be baptised. The youngest daughter had no problem with this, but the mom felt so totally unworthy that she could not see her way clear to be baptised in full view of the congregation, saying that she was not worthy to become a member of the functioning body of Christ.
I had opportunity to speak with her one dayl. Knowing that she had come to love the Lord very much, I asked her whether, if the Lord should require her to leave her family and move to a foreign country to testify for Him in obedience to His instructions, she would be prepared to do so. She immediately answered in the affirmative. No doubts whatsoever.
I explained that all God required from her was, in fact, obedience to His Word. She set about making the necessary arrangements to be baptised.
Coming up out of the baptism pool, her face was aglow and she had the most beautiful smile on her face.
Then the Spirit of the Lord swept through the congregation and the whole congregation started praising and worshipping the Lord as in one voice, hands raised to God. The Spirit of the Lord had showed up to show her how precious she was in His sight! I do not recall such a display of the glory of the Lord at any other baptism service ever!
Suddenly, she was assured of her worth. She knew that she also was created in the image of God and loved and accepted by God. What a wonderful God we serve.
"For I say to you likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who
repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." Luke 15:7
"A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench;" Is. 42:3
Thank You, Lord, that the heavens rejoice over one sinner coming to repentance. Thank you that You do not reject us, but are standing waiting to receive us with Your loving arms extended to us. Thank you for changing and rebirthing us into your Kingdom.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away;
behold, all things have become new." 2 Cor. 5:17
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