Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Friday, November 17, 2017

"Taste and see that the LORD [God] is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."¹

A fellow shared how, in much younger days, he walked more than a hundred miles to see Niagara Falls. When he was about seven miles from the Falls, he heard what he thought might be the thunder of the crashing waters. When he asked a man working on his house if this were the falls that he could hear, the man replied, "It could be, but I don't know because I've never been there!"

Amazing! So near yet so far!

I grew up in Queensland, Australia, the state where the Great Barrier Reef is. It is one of the wonders of the world and I'd never seen it until a few years ago! When I lived there, I took it for granted and never bothered to see it for myself. Now I live in Southern California and am amazed at how many locals have never visited Yosemite or the Grand Canyon. Jokingly I tell them that they have "sinned"—by not seeing and experiencing these breath-taking marvels of God's creation.

Even more amazing is the fact that so many more have never bothered to taste of the goodness of the LORD [God], or have ever taken the time or interest to marvel at his greatness, to experience his divine love, or to consider his great gift of salvation with his pardon for all their sins, and the gift of eternal life which is there for the taking. They are so very near and yet so very far. And as God's Word says, "How shall we escape if we ignore [neglect] such a great salvation?"²

   Marvel of marvels,
   how amazing it is that God
   should ever choose to love me, a sinner.
   But even more amazing,
   and far beyond my comprehension,
   is the fact that the Great Creator
   and LORD of all this vast wide universe,
   Wants you and me to love him too!

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, Please open the eyes of my soul so I can see your unfathomable power in all of creation, and even more, to see and experience your divine love for me—a sinner for whom you gave your life to save me from eternal damnation. Help me to accept your great salvation, and learn to love you and live for you in return. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

For more help read "Love's Most Amazing Story" at:
http://tinyurl.com/love-amazing

1. Psalm 34:8 (NIV).
2. Hebrews 2:3.

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