A New Day

By: Pastor Johnie Akers  

Romans 5:10, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”  In the days of the Revolutionary War there lived in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, a Baptist pastor by the name of Peter Miller who enjoyed the friendship of General Washington.  There also dwelt in that town one Michael Wittman, an evil-minded man who did all in his power to abuse and oppose this pastor.  One day Michael Wittman was involved in treason and was arrested and sentenced to death.  The old preacher started out on foot and walked the whole seventy miles to Philadelphia to plead for the man’s life.  He was admitted into Washington’s presence and at once begged for the life of the traitor.  Washington said, “No Peter, I cannot grant you the life of your friend.”  The preacher exclaimed, “He is not my friend—he is the bitterest enemy I have.”  Washington cried, “What?  You’ve walked seventy miles to save the life of an enemy?  That puts the matter in a different light.  I will grant the pardon.”  And he did.  And so Rev. Peter Miller took Michael Wittman from the very shadow of death back to his own home in Ephrata—no longer as an enemy, but as a friend.  Like Mr. Wittman was of Rev. Miller, there was a time that mankind, because of sin, was a bitter enemy of God.  Because of sin, we were irreconcilable to a holy God. But the great distance was bridged by God’s Son coming to this earth, and through His death on the cross, He paid the penalty for our sins, and now, through the blood of Jesus Christ, we are no longer enemies, but God now, in John 15:15, calls us “friends.”  It wasn’t that we were not guilty, for all of us were.  But like the pardon General Washington issued of Michael Wittman, it had nothing to do with the man’s guilt or innocence, but it had to do with the amazing grace shown on his behalf by a merciful intercessor.  Today, let this one great truth resonate in your mind, God loves us, not because of who we are, but because of who He is; and He extends a full pardon to reconcile us back to Him through His mercy and grace with each new day.