Amazing Grace: My Story

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  Ephesians 2:4-5

This week in Ephesians I have been taken back to a time when I was 7 years old.  A time when even though I was a sinner God still loved me and showed me mercy and grace.  A time when (as my Daddy says) it became personal to me.  God was no longer just  Abraham, David and PaPaw's God-but through Christ he became MY God! 

I'm thankful that I can look back 24 years later and still be amazed!  There are so many things we get excited about and want to share with others.  God's grace should definitely be one...so here's my experience of grace...

My parents always took me to church as a little girl.  If the church doors were open then we were there!  I'm thankful for the church I went (and still go to) where the truth and the whole truth was (is) preached, including hell. I'd never done anything incredibly bad yet by nature I was a sinner (Ephesians 1:3) and just as guilty as anyone else.  Soon conviction set up and I was terrified of dying and going to hell.  I can remember asking my Daddy to wait until I went to sleep before he did.  One night he even took me outside and we walked around the house as he showed me there was nothing to be afraid of outside.  However, it wasn't what was on the outside I was afraid of it was what I DIDN'T have on the inside!  I was living dead.

Then on Sunday, January 17, 1988, we were having a wonderful service with testifying and then the church was singing a song and fellow shipping.  I remember looking around and wishing I had that joy and peace all of them were talking and singing about! 

Our pastor came to me and honestly I don't even remember what he did or said-I know what he DIDN'T do-he didn't drag me to the altar, tell me what to pray or just to sign a card.  All I really remember is him coming to me and then I went to the altar on my own free will.  I don't even remember the exact prayer I prayed but I do remember the feeling when I came up from the altar.  It's impossible to put it into words.  You'll never know until it happens to you-until it becomes personal to you.  But just to name a few-free, peaceful, joyful, loved, and accepted!  I had received God's amazing GIFT of salvation. 

Paul also says in Romans:

For he that is dead is freed from sin.  Now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him; Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.  Romans 6:7-10

I who was once dead to sin became alive in Christ!  How about you? Has it became personal to you?  Do you have an experience with death and then God's grace to share?

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