Lifeguards are in the business of saving other people, but this is the story of how God saved me.
I believed in God. I never doubted that He was out there - somewhere. But I didn’t know Him. Sometimes I tried to read the Bible, but when I came to a part I didn’t understand my interest would lag and I would quit. I felt empty, but I had no idea why. When I told my friends how I felt, they would look at me as though I were a bit strange. They didn’t seem to care that they didn’t know God. I didn’t know it then, but God says, “I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me” (Proverbs 8:1717I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. (Proverbs 8:17)). I couldn’t say I loved God. How can you love someone you don’t even know? But in my own uncertain way I was seeking Him, and God knew that and guided me.
I had a picture on my bedroom wall that was supposed to be Jesus when He was a boy. I was proud of that picture. It made me feel religious. But one day as I studied the picture I thought, This is a picture of God’s Son and I don’t even know Him! So I prayed this prayer: God, please help me to get to know Your Son.
That summer I worked as a lifeguard at the swimming pool. One day a rather friendly lady brought her children to swim. We began to talk when I was off duty, and she seemed interested in me. I began to tell her how frustrated I felt because I hadn’t been able to get to know God or His Son.
“Just a minute,” she said. “I’ll be right back,” and she went to her car. Soon she came back with a New Testament and showed me places to read in the gospels. I took that precious little book home. The more I read, the better it got.
The next few days were wet and cold. The pool was open, but not many people came to swim. I had many hours to sit and read God’s Word. By the time we had another hot, sunny day, I’d read most of the way through the New Testament.
Once the weather had turned warm again, the lady who had given me the New Testament came to the pool with her children. We talked about Jesus, God’s Son. A few days later she invited me to go with her to a gospel service. As the preacher spoke, God opened my understanding. I saw that Jesus had died for ME. He had made Himself responsible for MY sins. I was free! Forgiven! Because He had risen from the dead, I would rise too! I was bubbling over with happiness. God had answered my prayer. I knew He loved me. I knew His Son - He was now my Saviour. I was at peace.
I went home and told my mother. She kept studying my face. She must have been able to see the joy in my eyes. But when she saw me reading my Bible so much she was afraid. “We were never allowed to read the Bible,” she said. But she was happy to listen when I read it to her.
A couple of years ago my mother died, but before she did I believe she came to know Him as her Saviour too.
What about you? Do you know Him? Have you let Him save you from your sins? “God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:1717For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:17)). “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:99That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)).
ML-06/21/1998