Stories that never get old

For those of us that love to read it’s not hard to recall those moments when we have read the last line of a good book we have invested in, we close the pages and sit back and remember the characters, what they went through and how journeying with them made us feel. Why did it have to end we ask ourselves?

If your more of a movie person the same kind of thing happens. Hopefully the characters and story line are strong but this time its on the big screen. If the movie is made well you don’t leave after the last scene like some people do, no you sit and reflect on what you have just seen, and maybe even wait until the very end of the credits to see if there are extra scenes.

There is nothing like a good story that sucks us in, gets us thinking and leaves us wanting more

What’s even more powerful than a good story is one of redemption. Each Christian has a story of how Christ called them, and that testimony is unique to who we are and our journey. Regardless of how loud or quiet God chose to step into our lives one thing is for sure, Our conversion stories are an important part of our faith journey.

A friend of mine recently got married and last night had a celebration with those that couldn’t make it to the actual wedding ceremony (as it was in another country). While she had been single she had a house mate for a couple of years whom she spent a lot of time with. Her house mate wasn’t a Christian, in fact she came from a Hindu background, but that never stopped my friend from regularly inviting her to church and Christian social events. I was told her housemate had become a Christian and was looking forward to hearing her story.

The more we appreciate who Jesus is and all he has done for us, the more we will understand the holy privilege of being called into relationship with him – Peter Maiden

A bunch of us were sitting around talking about our church experiences when Valli jumped in and asked us a question about false idols. She has moved back in with her parents who are practicing Hindus and had been grieving about all the statues of various Gods in their home. For the next couple of hours we had the privilege of hearing her story of coming to faith, how Jesus grabbed her attention and how much her life had changed. She was not the same person that I knew before, even her face was different.

We were really encouraged by Valli’s story, (that’s an understatement) and all agreed that for those of us who have been believers for a while, it’s very refreshing when you come across someone who has just committed their life to following Christ. The passion, the excitement and the hunger to learn. This is not to say that seasoned Christians are not, but let’s be honest, being in the presence of a new believer reminds us.

Later I thought it would be good to ask her about some of the human things that played a role in her conversion and what was it about Jesus that changed her.

• Spending so much time with a person who was a Christian helped. She was always wondering why she was being invited to church. While she wasn’t anti Christian she was looking for something more than her job which was taking over her life.
• A different friend gave her a book and invited her to church.
• It was the claims of Jesus that got her attention.  She was amazed at how Christ could claim to be the way and a C.S Lewis quote challenged her to say yes to his call. “Jesus Christ was either a liar, a lunatic or he was who he said he was”. Then everything changed.
• Valli said that she was never happy before and had always felt empty and now she knows she has purpose.

I wanted to share her story to remind us of how powerful another persons testimony can be, and for those of us who are mature in the faith, to never think we are too mature in the faith (lets never stop being as hungry to learn and live differently as someone who is new to the faith). Let us be reminded of what Romans 6 says We died and now we have new life! Unlike that good book or movie, Jesus Christ’s story doesn’t end, and as we see with Valli’s testimony there is much more than great one liners and scenes that have us sitting on the edge of our seats.

Please pray for

 

• Valli as she continues to learn about what it means to be a follower of Christ.
• Direction in her life as she works out what’s next with work and how she can serve in her church community
• Her family who think she has lost the plot. There has been some anger towards her. while Christ is important in the Hindu faith, they certainly don’t think he is God and don’t yet understand the path she has taken.

Thanks for reading and as always, if you found anything that you have read helpful or have your own insights please leave a comment.