Buddy was an unexpectedly wonderful addition to my life. I had wanted to rescue a Silky terrier but hadn’t planned on doing so that particular weekend. After dropping off my family at a Seattle pier for a cruise, I returned home to check my email on my IPad when I accidentally hit the Silky Terrier Rescue bookmark and up popped a photo of Buddy, the first time I’d seen a dog from Washington State available for adoption in more than a year. A few days later Buddy became a part of my life.
Just as I’ve never regretted Buddy entering my life, neither have I regretted becoming born again March 7th, 31 years ago. I hadn’t planned on making a major life change that night when I flipped on the Billy Graham Crusade show on local TV. And being raised in a non-Christian religion, I knew nothing about Who the Holy Spirit truly was. Jesus had admonished Nicodemus, a Pharisee and “a ruler of the Jews” (John 3:1) that:
“Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
I felt like something was missing in my life, within my spirit, so I called the number on the TV screen and spoke with one of the crusade’s counselors. I gave my life to the Lord Jesus. About an hour or so later, when reading the Bible and praying, something totally unanticipated and astonishing happened: a spirit swooshed into my body at about where my ribs meet my abdomen.
I was absolutely frightened because no Christian had ever told me what being born again meant: The Holy Spirit comes into your spirit and you become whole, fully human again. Fortunately the Lord revealed to me Who He was and then I felt totally consumed by a love that was beyond comprehension or human expression. (In a later blog I’ll reveal what He said that night.)
You see, we are meant to be triune brings like God: soul, body and Spirit. When Adam and Eve rebelled against God, they were rejecting the Holy Spirit’s guidance so the Holy Spirit left them. As a result, every one of their descendants–the human race–born into this world is incomplete: body and soul only.
When we accept the Lord as our Savior, we are repenting of living life our own way by our own rules and telling God that we want Him to rule our lives. We are inviting His Spirit back into our life, making us wholly human again, reversing the curse Adam placed on every person subsequently born after his rejection of God’s authority.
Everyone senses that they are incomplete but do not understand why, so they try to fill that emptiness with things that never satisfy: food, alcohol, sex, drugs, shopping for things, gambling, etc. It’s my opinion that most addictions occur because nothing but God can fill this emptiness, although a person keeps trying and trying.
Christians often preach half a gospel: to repent and accept Jesus as Savior. But we repent to become vessels fit to receive God’s Spirit–completeness–the Life of Christ. God offers you “abundant life” (John 10:10) through the Holy Spirit.
Why not ask Him to be your Lord now and become whole.
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For some reason neither of my computers were functioning to permit me to post this blog. I’m on my cellphone so please excuse any typos.
PS. Not all Christians have a dramatic born again experience like I did. Many slowly come to an awareness of the Holy Spirit’s presence in their spirit. But the dramatic experience explains why some Christians are so excited when first converted, because it’s an amazing thing to know that God is real and not just a myth or fairy tale.
Meditations About God and Buddy 