Tat's Testimony
Psa 72:12-14 HCSB "For he will rescue the poor who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper. He will have pity on the poor and helpless and save the lives of the poor. He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious in his sight."
Born in a non-Christian family, all my life I was asking myself: Why am I here on Earth? What’s the point of life? We are born, grow up, get married, have children and die. That’s it! It seemed pointless to me. I was searching for the answer, creating imaginations in my brain, and reading books.
But, I couldn’t explain anything, nor did the books. If one told me that there is reincarnation where after you die you’ll be born in another life as something or someone else, repeating this cycle and maybe meet some people you’ve known 10,000 years ago, I would think: This might be possible.
When I went to University, I totally forgot about my questions. Sometimes I went to church (the main religion in my country-Macedonia, is Orthodox), prayed, fasted when the church said we should and thought that I was ok, and forgot about everything that bothered me before that.
I met a Christian lady who invited me to go to her Baptist church, I was really curious to see what the `other religions` in my country` were doing. So I went.
They were talking about sin. As I listened, I was thinking to myself "What am I doing here when I’m not sinful? I haven’t killed anyone, ok, I lied sometimes, but haven’t done anything really bad." The preacher explained about everything connected with sin and I was appalled. It was as if he was reading my mind!
How could they dare talk about God so freely and discuss the Bible? God was so Holy, and so high in the sky, the Bible was such a Holy Book, and so unreachable. Also before, I imagined God as an old man, sitting on his throne, just waiting for someone to punish. I was very angry with them, but at the same time very confused that this man was reading my mind.
Afterwards this lady gave me a Bible and urged me to read at least one chapter every day. I did. When I started reading the Bible, I was face to face with the living God, then I realized how sinful I really was. But it was different from what I imagined before. Jesus was a loving God, he was helping, healing, doing good things.
This lady took me to a conference. I saw these people were different. They loved each other, didn’t envy, compete and abuse, but helped each other. I realized the difference was God. He was there, moving among us, teaching us.
I gave my heart to the Lord during those five days. He saw I was ready to be loved. It felt like He spread his wings covering my nakedness, picking me up from the mud I had been in, washed me and put me on the right road and anointed me with oil, dressed me in beautiful things. And I became His.
I was poor and blind, and he saved me. I didn’t have a helper and a friend - he helped me and became my best friend. I was confused with questions- about where I was going to go if I died. He answered all my questions and gave me eternal life. I was afraid - he gave me spirit of encouragement. Since then (2yrs ago), I have never been abused, oppressed, tormented again.
The ‘old man’ of my imagination turned out to be very handsome man, a loving father, who never argues, never punishes, but just warns because he only wants the best for his Children. In the hardest moments he was carrying me in his hands.
Now I feel a new creation. With Jesus being my shepherd I have everything I need, and lack nothing. Everything he promised, he fulfilled. He forgot my past and has a brilliant future for me. So I’ll praise the Lord, to the end of my days here on earth. Halleluiah
