Recently, someone we met at church years ago, passed away. She was an incredible lady, happy, loving and full of beans. Although very slight in build, she came across as very strong and was certainly brave. She would talk to anybody about Jesus and often handed out Gospel tracts.
We had only run into her once since Her husband, John, passed away – she was still full of love for her Saviour.
As my parents had attended her funeral, they bought us a booklet printed by the family, chronicling parts of her life. Two parts had me riveted:
1) Angie’s testimony of how she got saved
She describes the way Jesus got her attention and revealed how only grace could save her. After she responded, He changed her life, but her great concern for her husband grew. She wanted John to know the peace and fulfilment that she now had. She wanted him to be spared from the coming judgement. He was not willing to entertain any ‘god’ stuff as that was for people who needed a crutch.
She describes how, after praying for 6 Years, she left him in the hands of God – but kept praying.
Shortly after that, she describes how her husband attended the Stringy Bark Restaurant in Wanneroo which had the Billy Graham crusade televised. Three days he attended, and then even came with her to church that Sunday.
The pastor, out of the blue, gave an altar call that Sunday: asking if anyone needed to submit to God and hand their life over to Him.
John responded and went up the front!
She describes how she cried for joy through that event and how the pastor shared afterwards it was not planned but he felt God wanted him to ask that day.
She also chronicles the changes in John and their relationship from that point on, giving up leadership of the family over to her husband as Jesus transformed them both…
2) John’s account of the very same portion of his life
What stood out to me is just how different the accounts were. John’s account was a first-hand account and very real: he was a ‘party animal’ and was not in to any ‘god stuff’ at all. He shares how his wife changed so much, but, despite having questions about his long held beliefs, he was still not interested.
But that all changed one night. He describes a very vivid and real dream:
“This dream is so real to me even to this day. I was clearly given two choices. On one side there was this great black void which seemed to be trying to draw me in and consume me. It was very frightening and I knew that to enter the void I was finished.
On the other side was standing a man in blinding light with arms outstretched and I could feel the pull of love and caring like never before. In my dream I knew who it was and I called out “Jesus save me” and at that very instant my whole body leapt in bed as though I had been released from captivity and was now free.
It was amazing how my life changed from that moment onwards. My temper and my seeking the things of the world seemed to disappear. I could even get a good nights sleep!!”
He ends with the date that he publicly went up the front of a church to make a public declaration of his new life in Jesus Christ, his Saviour.
So personal, so different, so real, so powerful.
The same reality but different views of it. You can never fully understand or underestimate what God is doing behind the scenes! Keep praying, keep loving – Jesus uses it all!
John’s description of the ‘black void that consumes’ particularly connected with me: I remember that void so well.
I remember that void so well: I lived in it..
I lived in that void every day. It very nearly fully consumed me. And John’s juxtaposition of Jesus – the Light of the world – bursting forth in power, victory and love. I was in tears reading it out loud to the family.
If you have experienced either the reality of the void or the power of Jesus, you will understand some of the power that is being discussed. But the real power, unmatchable power, incredible care, personalised connection and unconditional love? That can’t really be described – it has to be experienced to be believed…
Here’s one Biblical description of the Saviour:
And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. Revelation 1:13-16 (NLT)
May we all respond to the loving, powerful arms of the only saviour from that all-consuming black void: Jesus Christ!