The camp had been arranged by the Crusaders - a Christian organisation
specialising in activities for boys and girls.
For one of the boys stepping off the coach, this was to be
the defining point in his life. That boy was me.
I was aware that the Crusaders (now renamed as Urban Saints)
was a Christian organisation and I had even been to a few of their local
meetings where I lived in Streetly, near Birmingham. The fact the organisation
was Christian was not a problem to me - after all I was a Christian anyway,
right? That’s what my parents told me - we were born in a Christian country and
were therefore Christians already.
But that week I heard something new. In amongst the games,
the hiking and the camping was a message. Jesus, God’s son, died on a cross for
me. For me. A geeky 15 year old kid with glasses and acne.
It was hard for me to take it in. And hard to respond as
well. We had meetings most nights and at one of those there was an invitation
to ask Jesus to come into our lives, but I was far too shy to put up my hand.
Back in the tent as my fellow campers slept, I kept returning
to what had been said. God loved me? So much He sent His own Son? Why had I
never heard this before? Why had no one told me? Before I slept that night, I decided
to pray, to invite Jesus into my life. In my thinking at the time, I decided to
give this Christian thing a go.
Fifty years later, I’m still giving it a go! Fifty years. Where did the time go?
A family - a wife, four kids, two grandkids. Churches planted,
mission trips completed. Books written and other lives changed.
All because of that night 50 years ago.
That ‘once upon a time in the West’ moment radically changed
my life. I am not the same because of that prayer. It was the best thing I ever
did.
If you are reading this and have never prayed to ask Jesus
into your life, is there any reason not do so now? What better than to know why
we are here, to have purpose and direction in life? Most of all, to know the
God who made us. What’s not to like?! Here’s a prayer to pray- you can say it
out loud or under your breath -God will hear you either way.
Dear Lord
Please forgive me for living my life without you, for living
my own way. I’m sorry for all the things I’ve done wrong. I ask you today to
come in to my life. Please live in me, help me and be in charge of my life.
Thank you for answering this prayer. I choose to live Your way. Amen.
And there it is. The most important prayer you will ever
pray. The most important step you will ever make. (And if you did pray this
prayer for the first time, let me know - I’d like to help).
Thank you Crusaders/Urban Saints for that camp all those
years ago. Thank you for your faithfulness in sharing the good news about
Jesus. And most of all - thank you Jesus for your faithfulness through these 50
years together.
Here’s to the next 50.
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