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

To Say So Much in So Little

I believe a great speaker is one that can say so much in so little. This lady definitely nailed it.
Her message was audacious, her time was little. The number of words, well…, that’s not what I’m talking about.

The fascination I had in watching her makes me think of adding a subtitle so my students can watch it, but I gave up the idea by the 20th second. Well, maybe I’ll reconsider.

The Source of My Significance

The Source of My Significance

I Am Second posted this video on their page, a testimony of Lecrae.

“Somebody thinks I am significant to die for me.”

The question of self-worth, life’s significance is something I asked at one point in my life.

Being raised in a Christian home and growing up as a good kid, I’ve always thought that my significance was a result of all that. That’s what I had been believing in, until one point.

I failed.
And then I failed, again.
And again, and again.
I transgressed.
I fell short. I did not measure up.

It took me years to get back up and place my feet on solid ground. I went through repeated cycles of nervous breakdown and self-condemnation. It almost felt like I was dwelling in the valley of the shadow of death.

Until one point I finally understood about grace, the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

He bought me with a price.
He shed his blood for my life.
He took in all the mockery, the spits, the beatings, the excruciating pain.
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open his mouth.
He endured all those because He thinks I am worth it.

That was when I knew the true Source of my significance. His sacrifice on the ol’ rugged cross was his way of telling me the amazing depth, the extraordinary width, the immense length of His love, for me. And for you.

The Source of my and your significance has always been him, is Him and will always be Him. Nothing can take Him away from me.

“All men were created to lead but what we need is somebody to lead us. More than a teacher, but somebody to buy us back from the darkness. You could say he redeemed us.”