45 Years Ago

This blog post will be much more personal than past ones.  Last night was the 45^th anniversary of my meeting the Lord Jesus Christ.

I had grown up in an abusive home.  Someone who should have taught me to love and trust them was the one who hurt me instead.  This isn’t my story alone, and I’m not looking for sympathy, just understand I was broken as a young adult.

In 1968, God introduced me to a girl who could teach me to love and trust.  He did that so I could later (7 years later) learn to love and trust Him.  God works that way sometimes.  He may not transform you immediately.  He shares His work with His children.  He includes them as a parent enjoys their children helping and learning.

Even after seeing love and trust in this young woman, when it came time for me to yield to God’s tenacious pursuit of my soul, I fought against Him.  I had someone in control of my life before, and it didn’t turn out well.  Now He wanted me to turn control of my life over to Him.  He spent much of 1975 trying to persuade me, but I wanted nothing of it.  Finally, He made it crystal clear to me exactly what the consequence of rejecting Him was, and I reluctantly turned control of my life over to Him at Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa the evening of October 16, 1975.

When I got off my knees, I felt sick to my stomach.  What had I done giving my life over to someone I didn’t even know?  I wish I could go back and tell that 28 year-old what joys he was in for.

Over the years God has seen me through trials, through times of discipline, exhortation, and rebuke.  He has also put His arms around me when I was low, reminded me of His past work in my life when doubt crept in, and blessed me beyond measure in the people He has brought into my life and the family He gave me.  My life has been filled with God’s grace and love.

When Christians say “God changed my life,” it often falls on deaf ears.  The non-believer can’t accept the real change deep down would come from something so simple. It’s the heart that changes.  While my life was characterized by fear, aloneness, and distrust, today my life is filled with the love of God, confidence in Him to guide me through the tough times because I’ve seen Him do it again and again.  I never have felt alone since that day in October. God has always been there.

Why is this important?

A friend told me recently the world’s most desperate need isn’t food, or money, or anything this world has to offer.  What the world needs most is forgiveness.  That forgiveness was offered to that young man 45 years ago and he took it.  The result is peace in the knowledge someone has control of my life I love and trust absolutely.

That forgiveness is available to anyone who asks for it and is always available.  That forgiveness changes lives.