At the grand old age of 58, after many conversations with loved ones and studying God’s word, I have decided to trust the Lord fully with my life and get baptised. My long-time thought of getting baptised was always put on hold by wrongfully thinking, “I had to be a perfect Christian first.” Understanding that baptism is a public declaration of my commitment to follow God fully has set me free in my relationship with Christ, knowing He can use me for His glory! And He can use broken and imperfect people for His perfect plan!
I grew up as a happy third-culture kid, living in several exotic locations around the world. However, Christianity was completely devoid in my upbringing. Despite my parents being good people, God was absent. School assemblies offered the closest encounter, with uninspiring sermons from disinterested teachers. University saw me dabbling in Christianity, but a disconcerting experience led me to reject it. Even in Hong Kong, passing St. Andrews countless times didn’t prompt a second thought about the Lord.
It took time to acknowledge my spiritual emptiness. My wonderful wife found Jesus before I did, prompting me to reevaluate Christianity. I realised that the reality of Jesus meant that Christianity could be the most beautiful thing to be a part of. However, before I could claim I was Christian, I had to be absolutely certain that I sincerely believed that Jesus is Lord of all. I began to search earnestly for God, which eventually led to accepting the gift of salvation.
I desire to live my life as a child of God
Now, I can’t say what will happen when you accept this gift. Sometimes there are tears, sometimes there is incredible joy, and sometimes there is no emotion at all. But if you truly and sincerely accept the gift, you will know your life has been permanently changed. It took me a long time to accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, but it was the best day of my life when I did. I can’t claim to live a perfect Christian life, but I sincerely want to. I want to put Christ first in my life and glorify him at every opportunity I get. I hope and pray that as Jesus and I walk through life together, He will mould and shape me into a person worthy of being called a Christian.
I thank God for everything He has given me. For all these years, He has patiently waited for me until the right time He has decreed has come. I pray that I can live the rest of my life in the deep love of Jesus Christ, who atoned for my sins on the cross. I desire to live my life as a child of God, eternally with His peace.
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (GNT) are verses I hope and pray I will keep in my heart at all times to help me live as a faithful follower of Christ: “Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus”.
