September 30, 2012, marks 22 years of my life as a born again believer. It was on this very day, 22 years ago, that my day of sorrows was changed into a day of joy, when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. On this day, a year ago, I pledged to run the race of my life for Jesus Christ, not aimlessly but to run with a goal to win the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24) by “finishing well.” This year as I pondered of what to wish for, on my spiritual birthday, I was led to think of my early days as a believer. Soon after my salvation experience, some of us (including my brother, Ragland Remo Paul) who had experienced the adoption into God’s family (Romans 8:15), were so fired up for Jesus, that unashamedly and boldly we praised and proclaimed the name of Jesus to our friends in the public school (at Sunabeda, Orissa) where we stayed and studied. Being branded as crazy, ridiculed, humiliated, and all other forms of persecutions did not seem to bother us. This believer’s gathering came to called as the “BCPS”, which stood for the “Burning Candles of Public School” and the idea behind the name was that we would be poured out and melt away, holding and showcasing Jesus, the LIGHT of the world to our peers.
Since then, fast forwarding over two decades, as I reflect on my life, I find that many a times, I have forgotten my first Love (Jesus who loved me first – 1 John 4:19) and passion (for and of The Christ), and succumbed to the deception of the devil to forsake Jesus Christ and follow my own sinful ways. So this spiritual birthday, I sought the Lord and repented as I remembered to redo the first works of being a candle that is always on the hill, from where came and comes my Salvation (Psalm 121:1-2). I remember, repent and return to be a candle(stick) that would bear Jesus Christ, the LIGHT of the world (John 8:12), till the very end of my life and apropos, I covet to prayers.
What is your wish today? Please do not leave this question unanswered …
Revelation 2:5 (KJV)
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
