It was August of 1980 and I was three years old. The details
of that day are sketchy in my mind, but a few things seem to be clear in my
mind, like a snapshot: it was a sunny afternoon, I was sitting on the back
stoop with my mom under the cherry tree, and it was a day to do yard work. Now
thanks to my mom taking good notes in my baby journal I know a few more things
that went on that day. I began to ask my mom questions about God. One that she
wrote down, that I find hilarious today, went like this “mom, are there two Jesuses?” Then mom asked what I meant and I
responded “one up there (pointing to
the sky) and one down there (pointing
to the ground)?” It was at this point
my mom shared the Gospel with me and I received Jesus as my Savior.
Why do I believe that I was truly saved that day? Well
another note mom wrote was that as she finished sharing the Gospel, I bowed my
head and began praying on my own accord to receive Jesus. The excitement that
ensued concerning my new faith was evidenced in the way I began sharing Christ
with my friends. Even one time I trapped my friend up the tree and told him
“Jesus loves you!” (Just a note, this is
not a witnessing technique I recommend, haha)
A lot has changed since those early days when I first received
Jesus. In my teenage and adult years, sometimes the enemy has tried to get me
to doubt how sincere a young child can be. It is at those times I am so
thankful that my parents believed that children can understand the Gospel. I have
seen the notes that mom wrote about my life changing and I have seen the work
of Christ in my life ever since. I believe God has given me the “snapshot” in
my head about that sunny day with mom under the tree and I rejoice in His
faithfulness.
Today I am a youth pastor with a theological education. Part
of me laughs at myself when I see the funny questions I asked as a child, but I
also stand in awe of a God that chose to reveal Himself to a little child many
years ago. God placed a question on my heart then that continues to be a
question that I grow in each and every day, “who is Jesus?” Truly, this is a
question that we need to answer even as the disciples where confronted with
this question in Matthew 8:23-27. Jesus calms the storms of the raging sea and
they ask, “what
manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” Who is this man that controls the storms? Who is this man
that lived a perfect life? Who is this man that was willing to show His love
for us by dying on a tree? Who is this man that claimed power over death and
rose from the grave? Who is this man that intercedes for us in the throne room
of heaven? His name is Jesus, my Lord and Savior!
That is it; daily we must confront our
belief about who Jesus is! One day, as I was pursuing a theological education
in seminary, I read a verse that changed the trajectory of my life. It’s a
simple verse, but a verse that brought me back to the faith I had as a child.
This verse was John 17:3 “And this is
eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you
have sent.” Somewhere along the road, I had thought God wanted me to be a
super smart theologian, with all the right answers and who writes a lot of
books. But as I sat in my dorm room, this verse broke my heart (in a good way)
and has been the foundation of my ministry ever since. True life, eternal life,
is knowing Jesus. It is developing a
relationship with, spending time with and talking to Jesus. Like when we spend
times with a best friend, before we know it we start dressing a like, talking
alike and thinking alike. This isn’t just factual information; this is a living
relationship with the Son of God. From that first day in August of 1980 to
today, I need to grow in a deeper knowledge of Jesus and spend time with Him in
His Word, and by His grace, I will.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a
good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
(Philippians
1:6)
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