Conversion

Here's a passage I like from the blog Diary of a Wimpy Catholic:

I decided to become Catholic when I realized I’d never be rich — or, more exactly, when I realized I’d spend my life micromanaged in some corporate cube farm or other. My reward for such constriction of body and spirit would amount to Getting By…barely. Compared to the sacrifice, the reward seemed awfully scanty. To resort to a cliché, I wanted something more.

I'm not a Catholic, but as a Christian I say, yeah, my life, too, would be meaningless without faith. I was at a Bible study about 15 years ago when the question came up for discussion, "What would you be like if you were not a Christian?" I was appalled by the mere thought of not having my faith and the first thought that occurred to me (family members, don't get scared) was that I probably would have killed myself at some point, most likely during my college years.

Again, don't get scared. I have no desire to kill myself — because I do have faith in the gospel.

Most people at the Bible study said, "I think I'd be very selfish if I didn't have my Christian faith." I was the only one who said, "I think I'd be dead."

As a certain song says, "I have the love of Jesus, love of Jesus down in my heart, down in my heart, down in my heart. I have the love of Jesus, love of Jesus down in my heart, down in my heart to stay. And I'm so happy, so very happy! I have the love of Jesus in my heart. And I'm so happy, so very happy! I have the love of Jesus in my heart."

Because I believe that God loves me, that he created me for his good purpose, that he is accomplishing his purposes in and through my life, that he is shaping me through my life in the person he wants me to be, and that I will live in fellowship with him forever, because I believe this, my life is beautiful and full of meaning, even when it seems constricted.

To put it even better, my only comfort in life and in death is:

That I am not my own,
but belong—
body and soul,
in life and in death—
to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,
and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.
He also watches over me in such a way
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven:
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to him,
Christ, by his Holy Spirit,
assures me of eternal life
and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready
from now on to live for him.

Heidelberg Catechism, Q and A 1

This morning, I looked out my window and, again, saw the morning sun making my begonias glow. The world God made is so beautiful. God is so good. Life is so worthwhile.

Flowers like flames

I'm stressed about job security and money. My car is in the shop. My house is untidy and my desk is a mess. But as another song says, "Real joy is mine, no matter if teardrops start. I've found the secret: It's Jesus in my heart."

Who knew the campfire and VBS (Vacation Bible School) songs were of such lasting value?

And one more song:



May it be so for you too.