By Evonne Tee
Someone asked me recently, “How did you come to know the Lord?”
This led me to recall 26 years ago when I was just a young teenager, feeling aimless and lost, and having no purpose in my life except to study. Due to my broken family background, I didn’t grow up happily.
One day, as I was on my way home after school at the age of 14, I was stopped by two ladies who shared the gospel with me. That was my first time hearing that I have a Creator and that the cause of unhappiness on earth is sin. But God in His grace and love, sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the Cross for my sins to save me, and bring me back to a loving relationship with Him. There and then, I prayed to receive Christ, and my life has never been the same since.
Of course, there were still unhappy moments and disappointments. But knowing God has changed how I view my circumstances and helped me understand that there is a purpose and reason for everything that happens in our lives. Things might not go the way we want them to but we can rest assured God has a reason for allowing them to happen, and He is with us to see us through. From the day I prayed to receive Christ into my life till now, I can truly see how the Lord is at work to orchestrate events in my life for His glory.
For instance, being a nurse was never really my ambition. In fact, it was my last choice when I had to list down my options on the Polytechnic enrolment form. But I believe this is God’s plan for me. This is where He wants to use me to bring His love and comfort to the sick and needy and He has provided me with a skillset that is also useful in the mission field for Him.
In every new place of work God calls me to, I see His hand moulding me to die to self and be more like Him, and to be a witness for Him, not just to the patients under my care but also to my colleagues as well. In all that I do, it is always my prayer that others around me will acknowledge and see God in my life and in turn be interested to know God too.
I came to Grace Church 15 years ago. I was seeking the Lord for a church to attend and God used Sue San to bring me here. I thank God for the opportunity to learn His Word and serve Him in Grace Church. As the saying goes, “there is no perfect church”. Surely God has His purpose for bringing us together here and we just need to faithfully obey and serve Him with the gifts He has given to us.
Having received love and forgiveness from the Lord has also helped me to forgive others. I used to be very bitter and would blame my parents for giving me a broken family. But God has helped me to be assured of His love for me and in turn share this love with my parents. I would have never imagined that I could take care of my late father till his passing, if not for the love God has shown me to enable me to forgive and love my father just as Christ has loved me.
I also thank God for the skills I have as a nurse which really helped me to care for him in his last days. The most wonderful thing I thank God for is extending salvation to my father before calling him home. I know in my heart that if the Lord had not inflicted him with cancer, he would have never come to know the Lord. Though I feel sad that he has left us so soon, I am comforted that we will meet again. I am also thankful for the support and prayers from Gracians who came forth to share and encourage us during those difficult times.
My conversion experience is also a reminder that God can work in ways we cannot fathom. Though street evangelism is "a thing of the past" in our fast-paced high-tech society, let us not hold back sharing the gospel to people around us, even strangers. Who knows? God could just use you to lead someone to Him.
COVID-19 has changed everyone and everything in the world. But as Christians, we have this sure anchor and hope in Christ that will never change. I thank God for this great reminder as I look back on my salvation story. I thank God for saving me and allowing everything He wants to happen in my life, for His great purpose to mould me to be more like Him till He calls me home.
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:10 (ESV)
Comments