I have known Jesus my whole life. Known who He is and what He did. I don't remember a time we didn't go to church or Good News Club or something.
When I was nine years old, I knew that I was a sinner and that Jesus had died for me to save me. I knew that I needed to believe in Him and so I "accepted Him as my Saviour" or "got saved."
I lived nine years without Him. I have lived more than thirty years with Him.
Today in church we sang a song called "Without You." It said something like, "What kind of person would I be without You?" And I wonder...
Some people who give their lives to Christ when they are adults have a clear idea of what kind of person they are without Him. I don't really know for myself.
But I can imagine. And it isn't pretty. I frequently acknowledge "Apart from You there is no good thing in me."
I'm so glad I don't have to know. I'm so glad I don't have to live life without Him. Even as I sang the song, I felt bereft. What a cold and empty thought.
I lived 30 years without Him. You're right. It isn't pretty. It's downright ugly. It's also empty, meaningless, and so utterly selfish and self-centered, no matter how "good" people think they are. "Apart from Him, I can do nothing." "All man's righteousness is as filthy rags to God."
ReplyDeleteI got saved at a young age also, at 11 years old. Even though I have been a Christian since then, there have been some times in my life that I've acted like the person I would have been without Him. I'm so thankful for forgiveness.
ReplyDeleteI like your new picture Kay!
ReplyDelete2-11-08 through 2-17-08 is Random Acts of Kindness Week.
I was 24 when I accepted Christ- June 6, 1980. I wasn't the worst sinner, but I was bad nonetheless. I am glad that I was under the protection of prayers of those I didn't know before then and God saw it fit for me to live when I was doing some really stupid things.
ReplyDeleteEven though I don't have the testimony to impress most, I do have the knowledge that I'm going to the same heaven that those that have the testimony to turn heads are.
This was a good post Kay.
I am so thankful that I accepted the Lord at an early age. 5 years old. I can so relate to this post... I am very thankful I had parents that taught me the Gospel early on.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was about 17 I attended a Baptist church sometimes. The pastor came to our house and talked to me, my mother and my father. My father got saved, my mother and I pretended we did. The pastor kept at me until I finally prayed. But I knew then that I didn't really mean it. Of course, I spent several years thinking I was saved. When I was about 21, my sisters were visiting us from Kansas. The sister who came alone invited me to go back with her. I refused because I suddenly became very fearful of travelling. I spent the next 2 or 3 days struggling with the strong pull to go and the fear I was having. Finally, when my other sister, her husband, and three kids were ready to go, I decided to go with them. For the entire 700 mile trip I was terrified. Every time Tommy passed a car I just knew I was going to die. When we got to Topeka, my sister who had gone alone, took me to a revival meeting. She had gotten saved during those three days! I was a little self righteous about it, after all I was already saved. The preacher preached a salvation message and when he gave the invitation, I hung onto the back of the pew for dear life. It was as though someone grapped me by the collar and carried me down that aisle. I don't recall what I said, I don't recall what the counselor said, but I recall the feeling of a bale of hay being lifted off of my shoulders. I knew then that I was saved finally. I hesitate to tell this because I don't what people to think that they have to have a dramatic experience as proof. It is generally a quiet and precious moment when a person gets saved. I believe I was so self righteous that God had to pour the conviction on me, otherwise I would have rejected because "I was already saved." Incidentally, my mother got saved when she was in her 80s. But my dad never doubted his salvation experience.
ReplyDeleteKay, Thank you for your post! It plants seeds of gratitude and contentment and joy when I stop and remember that I am nothing without Jesus. But with Him, WOW! The world is an adventure, full of pain and fun. It is good to be still and know that HE IS THE POINT! Thanks, Kay.
ReplyDeleteKay, what a great post. I've done it both ways, and I can say I like it much better with him than without. (sounded kinda like a burger order, I think)
ReplyDeleteI simply cannot imagine life without Him. I couldn't do it. He is my all.
ReplyDeleteI was four years old when I invited Jesus into my life. As a teenager I remember praying about attitudes and issues that I dealt with and when I was 17 I had an amazing experience where like your mom mentions the weight was lifted. I gave Jesus the pain I had been trying to carry on my own - it was a beautiful experience. Thing is with this life we find more pain as the years go on and we have to keep letting go and giving it to HIM so we can keep on keeping on. God is my strength and my salvation and I couldn't make it a day without HIM!
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