This happened in the beautiful tropical island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean where I was born and raised. I grew up in a multicultural, multilingual and multi-religious environment. I went to a Roman Catholic school where I heard about Jesus and the biblical stories. I got christened and attended the Sunday mass. As I grew up in my teen, I began to have more and more questions about life and death, Hell and Heaven, God and Satan… I wondered about the meaning and purpose of life, the evil in the world… I tried to find the answers through religious, philosophical, and psychological books… I also tried social work, and asking questions to priests and to social leaders. I was searching for the Truth and True Happiness in vain. I was experiencing inner conflicts in my heart.
One day after school, I decided to go inside a church to meditate. I sat down quietly upon a bench by myself. I prayed to God something like: “God, if You truly exist, please reveal Yourself to me. I want to know You and I want to know how to live.” I was sincere and wanted to live sincerely in the Truth no matter the implications and consequences. I just could not live outside of the Truth, or without the Truth.
Soon after, I heard about a group coming from South Africa called ‘Youth for Christ’. They were going to have a free live show in the town hall. I felt like going to check it out. I went and heard beautiful songs and Christian testimonies. I was touched and did stand up at the end of the presentation when a call was made. My name was written down and I got a visit in my home later. However, I was still not very clear in my mind and did not attend any of their church meetings. I was not yet fully grounded and established in my Christian faith. I was still carrying on with my personal investigation and search of the Truth…
In the meantime, I went partying and lived a life of
pleasure…until a year later, when I heard about a Youth Christian group that
was meeting in the North of the Island. My younger sister and her friends had
been attending and came back home very excited. My curiosity was aroused and as
soon as I was invited to attend, I went. I was touched by the welcome, friendliness,
joy, songs, and above all the message of the Gospel. The elderly missionary
preacher quoted John 14:6, where Jesus declared: “I am the Way, the Truth, and
the Life. No man comes to the Father except through me”. I was struck and
challenged by this unique declaration. I had only two options: to believe it or
not. I just could not ignore it now.
The Holy Spirit who has led and brought me to this
point in my life overcame me. I would soon decide to believe and follow Jesus
Christ for the rest of my life-No turning back, no matter what. It was in the
Christmas time when I knelt down, repented, confessed my sins, received
Jesus Christ by faith in my heart, and committed myself totally to live for
Him, for God. This has been the greatest decision that I ever made in my entire
life. Thanks, Praise, Honor, and Glory to God!
Christmas is the time when we commemorate and
celebrate the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus. He left His glory in Heaven to
come down in the form of a human babe born of the Virgin Mary as stated in Luke
2:11-12. Wow! What a Mighty God we serve! He humbled Himself to that extent to
reach out to you and me, to us because we could never reach up to Him on our
own. He had to come down to us. O what a Savior! I love Him so much. He has loved me first and even died for me!... and you too.
Merry Christmas!
Psalm 118:17
Merry Christmas!
Psalm 118:17
