COLUMN: Surrender to Jesus

Special to The Log

Have you ever wondered why you are still here after being born again?

Ask Jesus, on your knees in prayer, and afterwards I'd bet my boat your life will "take off" as never before if you will obey Him in everything. Most folks are still grounded, not realizing that once Jesus is alive in them, we are only "passing through now."

We've been secured in God's incredible love and our names are in His "small" Book of Life. At last we are free to do all that God planned for us, something impossible before. He's allowed me, as His vessel, to see wonderful miracles and some that occurred long ago are still exciting for me as I write now.

Recently at Walmart I saw an older woman sitting and waiting on her husband. I stopped and spoke with her and after a couple of minutes I learned she has a rare eye disease. The center of her pupil is deteriorating. I said, "May I pray for you," and she said "yes," but indicated she wanted me to do it later.

At my age there may not be a later so I simply placed my hand on her shoulder and said, Lord Jesus, thank you for healing her eyes. One day He healed a woman's heart who was facing surgery after saying the same words except I said heart instead of eyes.

Did He heal them immediately? I don't know, but I know this "encounter" with her was set up by Almighty God my Heavenly Father before He created the Universe. For me it was an Ephesians 2:10 moment. I never pass one up.

I gave her my "If Jesus came today" handout which has my address. Honestly, I expect to hear from her telling me of God's faithfulness to heal her eyes. He has great joy in healing folks. Each lash from the scourge secured healing for us who will trust Him for it.

Look at Jesus in the scriptures that tell us "He healed all who came to Him." He's done it for me more than once. Thank You Jesus for suffering so much for me. Do you see why I believe I'm still here after my born again experience 42 years ago in 1971? I know in my heart He still has things for me like this or I would have already heard His Voice, "Ben come up here".

If you still haven't surrendered your life to Jesus so He can give you His and become born again, will you do it now?

Capt. Ben Marler, a longtime Destin resident, fisherman and author of “Old Destin Through the Eyes of a Child,” “4 o’clock in the morning,” and “I Am Not Ashamed of Jesus,” can be reached at captben61@gmail.com.