For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. – Romans 10:13
As I went to bed one night many years ago, I was the same unsaved person I had always been. Then, as my mind and my heart turned to the Lord in prayer, instantly I was a new creature in Christ Jesus. Finally, I knew what it meant to be born again.
In the morning, after letting the family know what had happened to me, I began to notice some changes. As a smoker, cigarettes had been my first need every morning, but I had no need or urge to smoke. My foul language was also gone. I was a changed person—old things had passed away!
Soon I realized that the Lord had kept me a whole day—it was nothing short of a miracle. Day after day passed, and then I realized that God had given me victory for one whole year. Many milestones have passed since then, and now it has been nearly sixty years.
During those years, God gave me many wonderful victories. My wife and I were married, I was drafted into the military, and was released two years later, having served a fourteen-month tour of duty in the Korean War. Later, I was hired by a large utility company and then retired after thirty years of service. My wife and I have two sons and two daughters, and three of our children are serving God today. What a privilege it has been to serve God as a family!
When I think about the decision I made to give my life to the Lord, I am amazed at the impact one decision can have! Certainly, challenges arose during the war, while raising our family, and also at work. It might have been easy to lose sight of the “big picture” amidst these everyday trials, but after many years of service to God, I can see the big picture more clearly. Our family watched God faithfully keep His promise to supply all our needs, and now I know that all of the blessings in my life are the result of my decision to give my heart to God.
Are you going through a difficult period in your life? God is still with you. Just as He has been faithful in my life and the lives of many others, He will be faithful to “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord.” Call upon His name, and He will give you a lifetime of peace.