by: Patty Joyce
Recently, a very famous female recording artist passed away. Being a fan of 60’s Classic Rock, I must admit seeing her in concert would have been quite a tremendous experience. On January 16, 1988, she performed for approximately 188,000 fans at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In doing so, she set a Guinness World Record for the “largest paying concert attendance for a solo artist.” She came from humble beginnings and had to overcome several obstacles on her way to stardom. I imagine those who saw her in person, still have vivid memories of this woman—now considered a legend in the eyes of many.
A legend is defined as a traditional story or group of stories told about a particular person or place. As a believer, we also have a group of stories about a particular man:
"He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in still another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was 30, then for three years he was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn’t go to college. He never visited a big city. He never traveled 200 miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things one usually associates with greatness. He had no credentials but himself. He was only 33 when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross, between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is considered by many to be the central figure of the human race and the leader of mankind’s progress. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned — put together — have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as this one solitary life." James Allan Francis.
I can attest to the fact, that this ONE man, Jesus Christ, not a legend, but the incarnate Son of God, changed me from the inside out more than forty years ago. He didn’t leave us with a memory, but with his story, the divine Word of God as inspired by his Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us that the Spirit of Truth will be with us forever. In John 15:15-21, note the words will, with, in, are, and am.
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” - John 15:15-21
Not a memory or a legend, but the Divine Spirit of Christ dwells in us. The creator of the universe, the one who cast the stars into the sky, the one who walked on water, the one who raised Lazarus from the dead and the most awesome, incredible, astonishing, humbling fact—died on a rugged cross for us so we may have reconciliation with the Father and have eternal life.
If you don’t know him or have wondered away from him, we would love to introduce you or help you to rekindle your relationship with him.
Please reach out to us at Divinely Driven Ministry and experience the Bright Morning Star.
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