I Have Decided.

Yesterday I saw an instagram that caught my attention.

It was a picture of a boy, probably in his teenage years, getting ready to be immersed in water baptism by his pastor, a man in his early 40’s. It says “(re) birth” and includes a caption that says, “22 years ago, today. I decided. Thank You, Jesus. Forever grateful.”

I don’t personally know the teenage boy in the picture, but I happen to know the man who was baptizing him. Back when I was in Portland I had the privilege to serve the Lord together with him and his wife. They had been pastoring most of their lives until a couple of years ago they retired and passed the ministry to their son-in-law.

Reading through the comments of people I found that this image serves as a reminder to a number of people who were there that day — to also be baptized or to witness.

To me, this image, along with the comments given, spoke loud and clear about dedication.

I see a dedication to life’s calling, as the pastor had shown when he ministered to this then teenager and led him to Christ, twenty-two years ago.

I see a dedication to life’s eternal purpose, to live for Christ and follow wholly after Him.
The pastor has been living this dedication ever since God-and-him know when, until now.
The boy in this picture, who is now serving the Lord fully, made this eternally recorded commitment and has been living it for twenty-two years.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in the human heart;
yet no one can fathom what God has done
from beginning to end.”
– Ecclesiastes 3:11

I also see dedication by a greater Being, the One Savior, Jesus Christ.
The dedication made by these men to Christ was possible because Christ first dedicated Himself to them.

“We love because he first loved us.”
– I John 4:19

Love is a commitment, a dedication. It is not just a feeling, it’s beyond. Love takes you through sunshine-and-roses, it also takes you through sticky-humid-days-and-storm. Love brings out the best in others, love covers multitudes of sin. Love is what GOD had first initiated to these men; it never fails and has won their hearts.

Seeing this image brought me to think of my own rebirth experience.
It took place on a Sunday morning, 20 November 1994. I was twelve that day.
Together with 50+ other people and my good friend, I gave my life to Christ.

I still remember the clothes I wore.
I still remember the man who was immersing me in water.
I will never forget that day.

I also still remember the song that was sung before the immersion.
A classic song, translated into Bahasa Indonesia, entitled “Mengiring Yesus.”
Simple lyrics but powerful choice of words.

Mengiring Yesus keputusanku (Following Jesus is my choice)
Mengiring Yesus keputusanku (Following Jesus is my choice)
Ku tak ingkar, ku tak ingkar (I won’t deny, I won’t deny)

I then did a research on the song and stumbled upon this video, a 5-minute clip about the story behind the original song.

How this song came to be just blew my mind.
One simple man, in India, fully dedicated himself to his Savior and to the eternity.
From him came a powerful song that has been sung by millions of people around the world, as they, too dedicate themselves to Christ and get a good grasp of what life is about.

I have decided to follow Jesus
No turning back, no turning back

Though none go with me
Still I will follow
No turning back, no turning back

The Cross before me
The world behind me
No turning back, no turning back

Following Christ is a decision
A decision to respond to Christ’ invitation
An invitation to a full, abundant life
Not only while we are in our flesh and blood
But also when we are in our new body
In a place where there will be no more death
Or mourning, or crying, or pain

It takes our response to the invitation
It takes a decision and a dedication

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_Decided_to_Follow_Jesus

When Someone Means (More Than) The World

These few weeks my schedule has been so packed. Meetings, behind-the-desk work, teaching and events have been on my agenda for good 15 days. I have to make decisions, think quick on my feet, and at the same time make time for the things that matter.

And for these past two weeks there had been in my heart this mild anxiety — for a lack of a better word — something that leaves me restless.  But this anxiety was so mild, I could feel it but not really put it in words.

I was restless and somewhat worried that I would neglect GOD in the midst of my busyness, because it could happen so easily in a tight schedule. The last thing I wanted to happen was not involving Him in my decisions, not acknowledging Him in my meetings, and instead, doing everything on my own strength and going back to my old perfectionist self.

This anxiety-slash-worry-slash-Unidentified-Feeling-Object had happened behind radar, until three days ago at a prayer meeting. We had a one-on-one praying time and my dear friend identified this feeling in her prayer, for which I was grateful.

GOD has been doing His works in me so much so that I develop this high level of dependency on Him. It is the kind of dependency that even the thought of not having Him would break my heart. This is, she calls it, a symptom of great dependency.

Pondering on the prayer of my friend, I realize this is probably what it feels like to love someone. To love someone so dear that he becomes the world to you, and more. To love someone so much that you become so dependent on him or her. It is my hope that I will continue depending on Him in everything, being in tuned with Him every second of my being, keeping Him and His heart in mind at all times.

Since I often think in images and melodies, a classic song came to mind, You Are by Darlene Zschech and Ron Kenoly.

You Are
Darlene Zschech & Ron Kenoly

You are the love of my life
You are the hope that I cling to
You mean more than this world to me
I wouldn’t trade you for silver or gold
I wouldn’t trade you for riches untold.
You are, you are my everything

I wouldn’t take one step without you
I could never go on.
I couldn’t breathe on breath without you.
I don’t have the strength
To make it on my own

Until the world stops turning
Until the stars fade, from the sky
Until the sun stops striving
I need you in my life and heres the reason why!

Lord, let my heart be your home. Let my whole being be the very place where You are.
I can’t bear the thought of not being with You. Apart from You I am nothing. Without You I will be lost, lost in my own self-will, ambition and idealism. Leaving You alone while I am busy working will cause me disoriented and restless.
Let my heart be a cozy place where you love to stay, for You are my everything and You mean the world to me.