Locusts

"I decided to keep my new beliefs secret from the members of my Christian group. After all, these people thought Jesus was the only way to God. I appreciated their genuine love for me, but feared endangering that love.

Early in my sophomore year, the students in my Christian group started earnestly seeking God together, praying for hours on end. They prayed fervently for the salvation of people on our campus. At one of those prayer meetings, the Lord spoke to me. I heard Him say in words, not audible, yet very distinct in my mind, "€œI have given you a new life." Under the weight of His presence, my whole body slowly sunk to the ground, and I felt a very fresh, new breath come inside of me.

I left that prayer meeting not quite sure what had happened to me. Had I met God? Or did the emotional atmosphere deceive me? Because the experience was so powerful, I had to know once and for all whether Jesus is the ONLY way to God. I was at a spiritual crossroads, and my life could not remain the same.

I woke up at 5:30 the next morning. I stayed on my bed facedown, and cried out with all my heart, "€œJesus, if you are truly God, I will give my life to you! But I need to know!" Despite all my past spiritual affectation and dilettantism, this time I was sincere. If Jesus didn'€™t respond to the desperate offering of my life, then I knew He must not exist. In hopes that God would come, I attended a prayer meeting that night. Out of the blue, a friend of mine said to me, "€œArnold, God wants you to read Psalm 4€." Psalm 4:1-4 reads:

1 Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.

2 How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Selah

3 Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him.

4 In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Selah
These verses confirmed to me that God knew my history of seeking false gods, and that He had heard my prayer on my bed. Both these things were unknown to anyone else. Indeed, Jesus answered me that night!

It has been five and a half years since then. I can tell you that God is greater than I could have ever hoped."

...all this time I've feared that those years were for naught. They were not.