Yesterday we remembered 9/11. Nearly 3000 people lost their lives on that day 20 years ago. Seeing the images taken on that horrific day and hearing the testimonies of those affected by the tragedy, especially the children of 9/11—those who lost their mothers or fathers—was heart-breaking. Forever their lives were changed, and all because of one man. It took one man to change the whole world.

We usually think that it requires a lot of people to change the world. The fact is not so. Periodically the world we live in has undergone dramatic changes and these changes—be it positive or negative—have been caused or initiated not by a group of people but rather by an individual. Think of Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Albert Einstein, just to name a few. Think of Jesus of Nazareth.

The coming of Jesus to the world—and more importantly to the hearts of those who believe in Him—has brought profound changes. And all these changes begin with one simple act of forgiveness—God forgives our sins through the death of His Only Son, Jesus. When He forgives, not only will we not be punished, but we will also be given a new life in Him. When God forgives, He also transforms, helps, and guides us, especially during the times of trials.

About trial, A.B. Simpson, writes, “There are two ways of getting out of a trial. One is to simply try to get out of the trial and be thankful when it is over. The other is to recognize the trial as a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever had . . . . Thus, even the adversary becomes an auxiliary and the things that seem to be against us turn out to be for the furtherance of our way.” Because Jesus is in and with us, He changes us. When we see trials, we no longer see doom. We see hope for a larger blessing!

Pastor Paul