Summoned By Jesus

“God moves in mysterious ways…” William Cowper 1731 to 1800

I came to the Lord about 35 years ago after the failure of my first marriage. I was broken and lost, trying to understand and grasp this thing called “Christianity.”

But I knew it was real because in my darkest hour, when all alone in a little efficiency apartment I mustered up enough faith (pun intended) to call out to the Lord “if you are there, I need you.” A message went through my chest that I saw in my spirit (I don’t know how else to describe it.) The message, which seemed like a ticker tape, read “go to church.” Nothing else. It was so real that I stopped and had to ask myself did I just feel / sense / hear / or see that???

The following Sunday I went to the closest church I could find. When I walked in most of the seats were taken. I had to walk halfway down the main aisle and scoot halfway down a pew to the right. I immediately wanted to leave but felt trapped. The service began and we went through several lifeless recitations and sang some equally lifeless hymns. I desperately wanted to leave… when the pastor came out and walked up to the podium. In another unusual occurrence, I immediately liked the man. There was something in his countenance & appearance that made me feel at ease. And there seemed to be an aura about him, almost a halo. But then he began his message “a marriage takes three.” And for the next 40 minutes he seemed like he was telling everyone in the church about my failed marriage. I felt embarrassed and exposed. How had he known all that? I felt like his message was directed right at me, though I don’t think he ever looked at me.

He clearly made the point that if God is not in your marriage you will have great difficulties. And I had never truly included God in my first marriage…