Overawed by God

I’m from a small coastal village called Fish Hoek in Cape Town, South Africa.  I grew up in a home that was really loving and caring, and my parents looked out for me all the time.  My mum took me to Sunday school from a young age and I really enjoyed going to church. My mum tells me that when I got back one Sunday at the age of 3, I said to her “I’m going to be a pastor one day when I grow up”.

As I got to my teenage years my mum gave me the choice whether or not to go church and continue in this life. So I chose to see what was out there in the world - but those weren’t the greatest years of my life. I chose the life of ‘rock and roll’; I chose the life of ‘party’; I chose the life of just getting out and doing what I wanted to do. Every so often I went back to church on a Sunday, said a few prayers, said I was sorry and then just went straight back out and did what I wanted to do. 

 

At the age of 20, we moved to Cape Town. Friends told us we should visit the IMAX cinema, so we went to see the film “The Grand Canyon”. It was the most unbelievable experience of my life and it suddenly dawned on me that God had made everything – he made everything big, he made everything glorious, he made everything magnificent. I was captivated, not so much by the IMAX cinema or by the pictures – it was just the bigness, the hugeness and how amazing and awesome God must be!

 

I was crying throughout the show. It was so difficult because I was sitting next to my friend and trying to be all manly by hiding the tears. Straight afterwards I promised that I would take him on a scenic drive around Cape Town. I think that was one of the biggest mistakes, because I was still in tears thinking about God - how big he is, how he had created the Grand Canyon, how he had made us and how much he loves us and cares for us… 

 

We left, got into the car and drove around all along the coast of beautiful Cape Town. I just saw more of God, more of the ocean, more of the mountains and I just kept on “seeing” God everywhere! 

 

When we got home, I went into my bedroom, knelt next to my bed and prayed. I prayed and said “God, please don’t kill me – I want to give my life to you!”  My understanding of God was so scary at the time; I thought that God was out to get me if I wasn’t prepared to change my life for him! 

 

On the following Sunday, I went to a big local church. I walked in and the guy that was preaching spoke about having a foot in the world and a foot in the kingdom of God. At the end of his talk, he said if anyone would like prayer they could come forward.  I went forward and a wonderful, older gentleman spoke with me, prayed with me and explained that God didn’t have any intention of killing me. Instead He was there to love me, to care for me and he spoke about this relationship that I could have with Jesus. It was the most fantastic thing that I had ever heard in my life! 

That was many years ago and I want to encourage anyone who is feeling drawn to the things of God but not sure about the stuff that they need to give up, that the things of God far outweigh the things that we give up.  In fact the things that we give up are nothing compared to that which we gain by being a part of the kingdom  of  God - being a part of God’s love, being in relationship with Jesus and getting to know Him more. If you are considering this, speak to a friend who goes to church. It will be the most amazing journey of your life – I promise - and I want to encourage you to take that step!