Until August 1994 I wasn’t interested in God. One of my closest friends became a Christian and tried to talk to me about it, but I just wasn’t interested. In fact I felt quite sorry for her.
Then I was visited by another lady who offered to read the Bible with me. I politely told her I was too busy, but I accepted one of her magazines. To my annoyance, she began visiting twice weekly, encouraging me to read more of her magazines.
This lady was a member of a cult, and I began to plot how to get rid of her. I asked my friend who had become a Christian about the differences between the Christian faith and the cult. She told me that one of the main differences was that the Bible teaches that Jesus is God, but the cult denies this.
I opened my Bible and read the opening words of John’s Gospel – ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us’.
No way out
I wanted to know more. I began reading the Gospels and attending church. I quickly realised that I didn’t know God at all. The ‘god’ I thought I knew was a god of my own imagination – a god that simply did not exist.
I became aware that God was working with me. My unspoken questions would be answered during church services, or through my own reading.
Through studying the Bible, I became conscious of my own sin. I suddenly saw myself as God sees me, and I wasn’t happy with the picture. This was a very depressing time for me.
I saw that I wasn’t the good person I’d always considered myself to be. My sinfulness lay exposed before a just and righteous God. I had lived my life with no reference to God at all. I prayed for help because I could see no way out.
Rest for our soul
The answer came at church in a sermon about God’s mercy and forgiveness. I saw that to be forgiven I would have to turn to Jesus Christ. He says, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls’ (Matthew 11:28-30).
I learned more about what Jesus did on the cross: ‘God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us’ (2 Corinthians 5:21). I realised that Jesus died for my sins so that I could have forgiveness and peace with God. All I had to do was to put my trust in him.
I can’t describe adequately the feeling of peace and security I have felt since accepting and trusting in Christ as my Saviour. I have found that the best way to introduce my family and friends to Jesus is to say, ‘I have found a Saviour – come and see him’.
