Having just greeted my family, we were walking from the airport terminal to the car. With enthusiasm characteristic of a three-year-old, my older son burst out, “Daddy, I know my Sunday School verse! Do you want to hear it?”
As a dutiful father, but lacking the same enthusiasm, I responded, “Yes, son. What is it?”
“Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9).
The verse, like the divine arrow it was, hit the bull’s-eye of my heart. “That’s very good,” I said, as the words echoed in my mind.
The previous morning I had awakened with the expectation of flying to a professional conference, before joining my family for a vacation at the beach. However, I quickly realized I was feeling rather ill. Unable to do anything but lay immobile on the living room couch, I remembered a book which I had hidden away some years before in a nearby bookcase.
I began to read through the book, a popular 1970’s best seller on prophecy. As I considered the detailed accounting of past prophecies fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ, as well as prophecies yet to be fulfilled, 1 became fully convinced of the authenticity of the Bible as God’s Word.
That realization soon led to a conviction that I could no longer avoid squarely confronting the all-important question of the Lord Jesus Christ to each man or woman, boy or girl: “But who do you say that I am?” (Mk. 8:29). Finishing the book later that day, I made arrangements to fly to meet my family.
While never having unequivocally rejected Christ, my actions had declared year after year: “I will not have this Man to reign over me.” As I look back, I can only marvel at God’s mercy and longsuffering for a sinner such as I. God had blessed me at 34 years of age with a godly heritage, parents who knew and loved the Lord, a good education, a loving wife, two wonderful sons, and an excellent job. However, notwithstanding such blessings, pride, rebellion, and the lure of worldly things reigned in my heart.
Though from a human perspective I had everything, I increasingly realized that there was a deep void in my life. True satisfaction was lacking. I wondered if this was all that life had to offer. I was experiencing the reality of the words of the French scientist/philosopher Pascal: “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the human heart.”
That vacation was a time of spiritual wrestling. I read through the New Testament.One passage in particular seemed to stand out: “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Assuredly I say unto you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Lk. 18:16-17) But while I was familiar with this passage from my youth, my heart seemed to be blinded to it all.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me;
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
Saturday evening arrived, and we planned to leave the following Monday. I was at an old sink in the rustic cottage bathroom, beginning to shave and despairing of ever knowing God’s free gift of salvation. Perhaps, I thought, the day of salvation for me had passed.
Suddenly, the light of God’s glorious gospel shone into my soul. I thought about how my young sons would stand on the bedroom staircase. When I held out my arms to them and said, “Come,” they would with full assurance spring forward into my arms. That was trusting, believing, coming, or receiving. Then my son’s Sunday School verse flashed to mind, “Salvation is of the Lord.” And at that moment I simply accepted the Person and work of Jesus Christ, as the One who died for my sins in my place at Calvary.
A peace and inexpressible joy filled my soul. As I continued shaving, the words of the hymns, Christ, the Saviour of Sinners and How Great Thou Art, raced through my mind.
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Since that day over twenty-three years ago, the Lord has been ever-faithful. While I have failed Him so often, He has never failed; He continues to shower His grace upon me. I realize now much more fully the depth of His amazing grace. May the Lord help me, out of love for all that He has done, to serve Him more faithfully.
Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
With the passage of time, I can only marvel at the many links in God’s chain of redemptive grace: a faithful Christian father (who had died the previous year) and mother, a faithful and loving wife who helped our son learn a Sunday School verse, a faithful young Sunday School teacher, a faithful older saint who had asked my mother to send along the aforementioned book, a faithful sister and brother-in-law living authentic Christian lives, and others, including many faithful praying Christians.
May the Lord strengthen and encourage us, as opportunities arise, to be similarly faithful and to redeem the time until His soon coming. May He comfort in a special way those who are praying for unsaved family and loved ones. God is faithful (1 Cor. 1:9); He is able (Eph. 3:20).
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun. (John Newton)