When I was seven years old the Elim Church in Leigh-on-Sea hired a double-decker bus to drive around the roads picking up children for afternoon Sunday School. As you can imagine, this was a big hit! We children thought it was a free trip out and the mums and dads got the afternoon off!
Although my parents were quite strict and had good standards, they would not have professed to be Christians, so I was unaware of what Sunday School was really all about. The very first week that I went we did lots of singing and then split into small classes; and then the teacher told us how that God sent his son Jesus into the world to be our example, but more than that - to die for us - and all because he loved us so much.
The teacher, Mrs. Pledger, said that because Jesus rose from the dead we could have Jesus with us all the time if we said we were sorry for the wrong things we did, and simply ask him to come into our lives. This seemed too good to be true. I can still remember going home and asking Jesus to come into my heart. And what a difference it made! The only way I can describe it is that it was like the spirit part of me being switched on; I just felt more alive and aware.
From that moment on until now (55 years later) I have always been aware of God's presence in my life. He is with me in the good times, and upholding me in the not-so-good times; helping me in every aspect of my life. I haven't been rescued from a life of drink and drugs so my testimony is not very exciting from that point of view. But if I had not accepted Jesus at the age of seven who knows how my life would have turned out?
All I know is this:
It doesn't matter if you are young, middle aged or very old; it doesn't matter if you have never read the Bible; it doesn't matter if you have led a good or bad life. Jesus love is for all and He offers us the chance to accept Him into our lives; and it will make a difference that will last for all eternity.
Anne O'Brien