Singing My Song

Twenty five years ago today, an anxious, defensive forty year old, knocked on the door of her friend's home, and blurted out: "Whatever it is that you have, I want it." I remember that day as if it were yesterday. That friend and I had been inseparable, until she had come back from her sister in Johannesburg overflowing with bible verses and fixated about Jesus. I was outraged What had happened to her! And who was this person who seemingly could not think of anything else? I remember saying to DH, "If she doesn't shut up, it is going to be the end of a beautiful friendship." Later her sister (the one whom I held responsible for turning my friend into a nutcase) arrived on holiday, only to go down with flu. I was invited over to visit them. I remember sitting on the edge of the spare bed, poised for flight, while this woman flicked through the pages of her bible, talking to it! "Oh Lord, please show me where to find the right verse" Say WHAT! And worse, she found what she was looking for and thanked the book! "Oh thank You, thank You!" I flew out of there - completely unnerved. I had believed in the basics of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus for as long as I could remember but could never see what on earth that had to do with me; with my life and my problems, today. So I had tried to find God - finding Him was my passion - in Eastern religions, TM and other such things but remained empty. But this - this that had my friend so excited? Nah. Too ordinary and besides I didn't like the Christians I had met. Then one morning, not too long after the "talking to the book" episode, I had the strongest sense that I should go and ask her my friend for what she had found. With very little understanding of what that was, other than it involved following Christ. I somehow knew that the decision I would make was absolutely crucial. And so I found myself at her door She prayed for me And I met the Jesus Christ there and He took my breath away He still takes my breath away 25 years later He took what had been external facts to me for all those years and made them living Reality. And the more I learn to know Him, the more breathtaking He becomes. "So today, Lord, I remember with awe what You have done for me: I thank You for making Yourself real to me: and I thank You for what You have made life mean." And no, for any who were in the same space as I was 25 years ago - I am not talking to my computer screen :-)