Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear.

Jude 22, 23

October 10, 1944, 72 years ago today, a sixteen-year-old young man, a rebel, met the Lord Jesus – a meeting that changed his life!  The repentant who was received by Jesus Christ was, of course, me.  So today, my heart is glad.  I owe everything to the One who paid the price of my redemption and who has walked with me on this long but exciting journey of life, all those years, alongside a wonderful wife, Anna Ruth, bless her.  Thank you, Lord, for Anna Ruth!

As I survey my long life, I admit that there were times when I could not find my way but as I look back, the Lord Jesus never gave up on me.  He promised to love me to the end.  That promise held and is as real this morning as it ever was. In my feeble way, I promise to love Him to the end – until faith is a blazing reality.  He never left me nor did he take away from me the desire to live in and for Him.  That is my personal testimony.

I then discovered my life-calling, to point people to Him!  I was a shifty, self-centered young man, lost but too proud to admit it.  Then, Jesus met me and changed me more than I could have imagined. If he could do that for me, could he not do the same for all who were simply wandering about, lost?  I think this is what propelled me to invite others to come to Christ, the passion of my long life.

I strove to put into practice the advice of Jude, “ Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear.” I know what doubt is. I know what it is to fiercely judge others while excusing myself. I know what it is to lack heart-felt mercy. I also discovered that the desire to see all people find Jesus Christ never departed from my soul.  It is there today as a miracle of God’s grace.

So I sing my song of gratitude and joy today, my spiritual birthday, the same song that multitudes have sung and are singing – a choir that by God’s grace I will eventually join and blend with forever, with Jesus. What a birthday gift!