I am not a kind person, I am not a forgiving person, I have done some truly bad things in my life , I have done some things that others might call good.
I am not in any position to judge whether I have done good or bad in my life, I do not strive for perfection because I know it is beyond me.
In 1973 I had to call for protection against that which I could not overcome by myself.
For some reason that I still cannot understand, the Lord Jesus came to my aid.
He took me out of the darkness and brought me into the Light, He dispelled the darkness and gave me the hope and belief that even someone like me could be of some small use.
I still don’t understand why (I have done some bad things and some good things since), perhaps it just is not in me to truly understand. Why did He risk Himself to save somebody like me. I certainly did not deserve it; still don’t think I do.
There is one thing I do know, without reservation; Jesus is always with us and for some reason will never leave us.
OTOH, I have had my own reasons to know, for sure, that Jesus is there...along with His father. Took being at the end of my rope...but, whatever... He was there when He knew He needed to be.
His mercy is so great we will never fully understand it. But to have received His free gift of Grace and to know you never deserved it magnifies for you how great His mercy is.
Imagine if this free gift were something you bought with "good works". Would it seem so great, or would it just be repayment owed to you?
“For some reason that I still cannot understand, the Lord Jesus came to my aid.”
The Jews would make little altars(?) or “ebenezers” of such events as a reminder of God’s goodness. Reminders so that when their faith was low - they would have reminders. I know people that write in journals those things as reminders. I know one guy that buys some little object as a reminder and has them on his bookcase.
Heck - look at the psalms. “Why have you forsaken me?” What might be a sign of a lack of faith. But is followed up with remembering past events, and realizing that events in the future will again show God’s love to us.