LOOK, WHAT GOD HAS DONE!

by Margaret Wright
(Sydney, NSW, Australia)

I'm happy to share my testimony with you. I was born and raised in a Christian home and so I did have a general idea about God, heaven and hell. I went to church and did what I was taught as I did not want to end up in hell, a place of fire.


I tried to be good and avoided bad company, bad language, etc. etc. so I was under the impression that I was good enough to get to heaven. As a teenager others began to declare that I was a good girl and even used me as an example for others to follow and this made me feel better still and thought I was pleasing God and surely I will go to heaven when I die.


However, apart from having a form for prayers and being good, I never read the Bible (from where we know about God) nor had one. To me God was an abstract figure and He was not real.


Even though I did not know Him personally, He knew about me and my desire to make it to heaven and I had a grandmother who prayed much for all of us.


Due to various circumstances I found myself in services where people freely sang and clapped their hands and praised God aloud and lifted up their hands in prayer. They would testify of God's goodness and His protection and of His answers to their prayers.


I found all this very interesting for it was all strange to me, as I was used to silent praying and sober gatherings.


Periodically I would confess my sins to God and believed they were forgiven but I found I did them again, and again had the need to confess my sins.


These people were a happy lot and seemed to know Jesus Christ in an intimate way and their singing was so full of joy and realization. I would sing with them but I was only mouthing words and there was no joy or realization of the words I was singing.


From the beginning I kept my eyes open, watching everyone, and I was very prejudiced so I did not listen to the speaker and would l walk out when he spoke. The preacher was my mother's brother (Pastor Esyln Vardon) and belonged to the Pentecostal Christian group.


After continuing to attend these meetings for sometime, I was truly troubled and felt convicted that I did not know the Lord like they did and I wanted what they had (even though I did not know what they had to give it a name).


One day I decided I would listen to what the preacher had to say only once and then I would continue the way I was for I was not interested in changing my religion.


That day he preached from the Bible on 1 John 1: 7-10 "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."


As he began to preach about this precious sacrifice for sin, I became uncomfortable and became conscious that I was a sinner and all my sins that I have been confessing stood between me and the Lord. I felt dirty and vile and felt I deserved to go to hell but I did not want to go there and therefore I began to cry to the Lord to save me.


I prayed, "if what is being preached is true then wash me in Your blood and make me clean for I feel like the dirtiest sinner and come into my heart and take control of my life. This simple prayer, which I meant with all my heart, brought the Lord's immediate response "praise God!" I felt my load of sin fall away and I was made clean on the inside and knew that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin. The Lord came into my heart and brought His peace and joy.


Since that day I have never been the same. I was changed forever to be a follower of the One Who loved me and gave Himself for me. I'm forever indebted to Him for taking my place on the cross and freely forgiving me and making me His child.


Should I die at any time I know that He will receive me into glory because of His sacrifice which was sealed with His blood to set me free. Hallelujah!!


I went through a lot of persecutions and misunderstandings in life, but Jesus has been very real and precious as I walk along with Him. He is my satisfying portion through all these years, as I am now 70 + years. I love Him and owe everything to Him for loving me first and dying in my stead.


Thank you Father for loving me so much that you sent your Precious Son to redeem me so that I could become our child and when this life is over, I could live with you forever.


Anyone can receive Jesus Christ and totally commit to Him and receive His forgiveness and receive eternal life. Read the gospel of John to know more. Those who are not converted or been born again will be lost forever.


Margaret Wright