Roger Stanley shares his story of how he and his wife came to faith
A man went through life, doing what he thought was right.
Generally he caused no harm, following the dictates of his 20th-century English conscience, all without too much trouble from anyone or to anyone. Gregarious, but a little lonely, having been an only child.
His career was unspectacular. There were many jobs in many different capacities, none with distinction, just a few ending ignominiously. A family came along and became a good influence, an encouragement to look forward from his natural opportunistic outlook.
Positive by nature, with an engaging manner, but wandering in a world of someone else’s making, randomly bumping into opportunities and misfortunes to find the easiest route to … what?
Holiday at home
Family grown up, grandchildren surprising in their beauty and accomplishment were now living the life he once knew. Most responsibilities had melted away, life subsided into a quiet and comfortable twilight of eating, sleeping, reading and little else.
An outing! To a three day ‘Holiday at Home’ offered by a local Baptist Church for the benefit of pensioners. The wife wanted to go, so he tagged along intending to read the paper and attempt the crossword while she was joining in the activities.
Having settled in a corner with the paper, he was approached by a chap for a friendly chat; after a few meaningful rustles of the paper the chap moved on, to be followed by another friendly man for another friendly chat. In fact they were interesting and interested people and our man was finding that he wanted to hear more from them.
The second day was more of the same but he found himself talking to more people; young and old, male and female, especially the very young, were all glowing with an interest in life, with enthusiasm, with love.
The third day was a special day. The church took all their elderly guests in minibuses and cars to a country village green for a picnic. The green had been laid out with chairs and tables. There were demonstrations of country crafts and woodcraft. Refreshments were regular and frequent and there were games for those so inclined.
The village hall had been set up for tea with tablecloths, napkins and decorations throughout the hall, all transported from our town and set up in advance, mostly by the teenagers and the young. The ‘grand finale’ was a concert starring many church members of all ages with music, comedy and theatre of a very high standard. ‘What was this all for?’, he thought. ‘Why are they doing this? Why are they so kind?’
Questions
A man was sitting on his own watching the proceedings and our man decided to talk to him. It transpired that the solitary man was the pastor and so accommodating was he, that all of the naïve questions about the church, religion, Christianity and life in general that had been held subconsciously for so long, came out. The interest shown, the answers suggested and the guidance provided were so focussed, personal and pertinent that I, for that is who I am writing about, was excited by the expanded view of the world that I was getting. I wanted to hear more of this man and of these people.
It seems that my wife, quite independently, was having similar feelings. We decided to attend a Sunday service at the church, then another, then another. We soon became regular attenders and heard a great deal about the Bible, which encouraged us to look further. We felt different, we did not understand what was happening to us, but we liked it.
The Holy Spirit came
At the end of one particular sermon my wife was moved to tears for no apparent earthly reason. The pastor recognised what was happening – the Holy Spirit had entered her heart. He gave her a hug and we all recognised the momentousness of what had happened.
I was disappointed; I had not felt anything, there had been no trumpet blast or flash of lightning, the earth did not shake; not for me anyway. But, slowly, over the next 24 hours, the Holy Spirit also entered my heart and I began to realise that this was what I had been seeking for so long. It was not the dramatic, instant conversion I might have expected but it was, and remains, very very deep.
Were my previous 77 years wasted? Without Jesus in my life I had missed so much, but I wonder if God’s wonderful plan did not give me the unbelieving life to live, in order to better understand the benefits of my new life and to fit me to comprehend others who may be searching for what I now know as the truth.
I saw the pastor and congregation at the church.
I envied their loving ways.
I wanted to be like them.
I watched and tried to emulate.
I was accepted by them.
I prayed.
I was accepted by God, through the Holy Spirit, in the name of the Lord Jesus.
