Experiencing God's Love

Although Josef was only eighteen years old, he had lived a hard life. He had grown up in a very poor family with six siblings, and he had never even known his own father.

As a child, Josef’s grandmother had taught him that God existed and this helped him to endure the pain and abuse that he experienced. Josef and one of his brothers were taken by social services and placed with a farm family, where they became child labourers. They lived in an unheated attic and had to eat potatoes that were supposed to be food for the pigs. At this time, the only thing that kept Josef from total despair was his deep conviction that God existed.

But at the age of eighteen, God brought some Christian youth into Josef’s life who were conducting evangelistic meetings. He was very cautious and afraid but he still attended the meetings. Josef felt like someone was actually listening to him and showing him love for the first time in his life.Within a few weeks, Josef accepted Christ and then decided to go to Bible school.

While at Bible school, a senior couple took him in as their son and they loved and mentored him during that time.Today, Josef manages a home for disabled people and is married with a family. He also gives leadership to the Steyr church in Austria. Josef recently shared, “If I had not found Jesus, I would not be here today, as I would have taken my life.”

Praise God for sustaining Josef and giving him hope even in difficult times. Pray that Josef will be equipped with courage and boldness to share about the love that he has found in Jesus Christ. Pray that many people in Austria will experience God’s love and that the church will grow as people choose to place their faith in Jesus.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:17-19