Do you keep a diary? What big events have taken place in your life over the past year? This month witnesses the 45th anniversary of my graduation as a medical doctor from Glasgow University and my 40th wedding anniversary. This year witnesses the 40th anniversary of my licensing to preach the everlasting Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the 40th anniversary of my ordination into the Christian ministry.
The most significant event in my life occurred 50 years ago today, when I was born again by the power of God’s Holy Spirit and everything changed. It was a Sabbath afternoon and I knew that I did not yet know Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour. It depressed my spirit that I did not have fellowship with my God, my Creator, Who had given me my being. Testimony to His Being was all around me in His works of Creation but I was only beginning to understand His Gospel. I knew that God had not left mankind without a witness to Himself and His lovingkindness, but I had still to “taste and see that God is good” and “who trusts in Him is blessed (happy)” Ps 34:8. I was not happy.
I was in my bedroom at my now-deceased parents’ home, 44 Woodend Drive, Jordanhill, Glasgow, G13 1TQ, and my mind went back to the sermon that I had heard that morning. In it, the Rev. Donald MacLean, minister of St Jude’s Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, 133 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6LE, had described the mob who bayed for Jesus’ blood – “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” they cried Jn 19:15. For some unexplainable reason, I considered myself among them. This thought distressed me but almost immediately the words of the Lord Jesus came flooding into my mind with power, light and comfort –
“Then said Jesus, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
Luke 23:34
My eyes were immediately opened to the rich grace of divine forgiveness through Christ’s intercession, and I tasted the heavenly cordial of divine love to the hell-deserving, and the undying love of Jesus to my soul. The taste was sweeter than honey Pro 24:13 and it continues to be so. I went downstairs for my afternoon cup of tea with an elevated spirit, all spiritual depression having lifted in an instant by this divine revelation, demonstrating to me from the first day of my new spiritual life the difference between spiritual and natural (or medical) depression – the former can be lifted in an instant by a suitable word from the Lord Ps 119:50, while the latter is the result of longer-term behaviour that takes time to resolve.
“The joy of the Lord is your strength” Neh 8:10. “Why are you cast down, O my soul? and why are you disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the health of my countenance, and my God” Ps 43:5.
My new-birthday
Jesus calls this experience being born again Jn 3:3,5,7. The apostle Paul calls it being “in Christ” as a “new creature” 2Cor 5:17. Christian theologians term it “the new birth”. So today is my 50th “new-birth”day, and I have scheduled this acknowledgement of my eternal indebtedness to “my Lord and my God” Jn 20:28 to post at 3 p.m. UK time, the approximate time 50 years ago when I was brought out of darkness into God’s marvellous light 1Pe 2:9. That light has grown brighter and brighter, in line with the biblical assertion: “The path of the just is as the shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day” Pro 4:18.
The apostle Paul explains: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” 2Corinthianan 4:6.
The sermon to which I referred above is available on tape, but I have never heard it. I heard two days ago that the owner of the tape died this week and he was buried yesterday.
Many years later I discovered that Mitsuo Fuchida was also converted through the same text of Scripture Lk 23:34. Who was he? He led the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on 7/12/1941 that brought the United States of America into the Second World War. After World War II he was brought out of the same darkness as me into Christ’s marvellous light and spent his remaining years promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Canadian Mountie “get his man” and so will Jesus Christ. Will you seek the Lord “while He may be found?” Isa 55:6-11. Today! you may be accepted by Him 2Cor 6:2. He is “waiting to be gracious” to you Isa 30:18.
William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings on 14/10/1066 AD and England was never the same again. Jesus Christ conquered the devil and won my soul and my affections on 14/10/1973 and I never was, and by the grace of God, I will never be the same again. I have put off “the old man” Eph 4:22 and I put on “the new man” Eph 4:24 who is renewed “in the inner man” Eph 3:14-21.
“By the grace of God, I am what I am” 1Cor 15:10.
To God be the praise. Ps 116:1-2.
Donald's Thoughts 