The Day I Looked Steadfastly Towards Heaven
I was in my third year in college. I hurriedly went home after an exhausting class. I never even dimly forethought that from that timely encounter, I could be seriously hit - not by a car or something, but through a message.
Getting hit
One of my roommates, after his usual devotional study, stood up from his bed, and desperately shared his readings – a message that started a change in my life. A message sent from God. Kuya B never hesitated to share the message that I really needed the most.
This is my personal conversion testimony. As to my status, you might not believe my revelation. Status, because I’m an active church goer and president of a non-class religious organization during that time.
Honestly, I have never known Jesus better if it were not by that incident. I’m a nominal Christian. I’m a lost one silver coin. I don’t have the right focus in my Christian life then, not until one humble servant of God helped me open my eyes and understand the unknown.
The message
“Jesus is about to ascend.” Kuya B started to share His thoughts while holding the book he was reading. He’s referring to the 87th chapter of Desire of Ages.
“With hands outstretched in blessing to His disciples,” kuya B continued, “Jesus slowly ascended up heavenward. And when the disciples went back to Jerusalem, the people looked upon them with amazement for they expected to see an expression of sorrow upon their faces. But instead of this, there was only happiness and thanksgiving to God. With rejoicing they told the wonderful story of Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension to heaven.”
Awe-stricken
While he’s sharing all this, I was there seated awe-stricken like the disciples he was talking about. But I made myself appear not so obvious.
“Why?” Kuya B continued seeing me interested. “Christ had ascended to heaven in the form of humanity. The same Jesus who had walked, talked, prayed, cried, and laughed - the same Jesus had now gone to share His Father's throne. They knew that Jesus was in heaven, and that His sympathies were with them still. They knew that they had a friend at the throne of God, and they were eager to present their requests to God in the name of Jesus, their best friend.”
Just heard
I never heard about this before. The testimony fell upon me as if I was there with the disciples of old.
Kuya B, after sharing, went to work his chores and I was there left alone astonished.
“Jesus is God”, I thought to myself, “and like me, in a form of humanity.” There I spent the rest of my time alone reflecting the gospel I just heard.
Make sense
Now John 3:16 came to me in its real sense. God really loved the world that He gave Jesus, His only begotten Son. He “gave” Jesus – not “held”, not “took”, not “kept”, not “lent”, that its equivalent somehow will be returned – but “gave”.
Jesus? It’s a name I might have mentioned in the church or in a group before, but it’s never personal - I just don’t know. I have known Jesus’ story since I was a kid. I am familiar with His suffering, sacrifice, and death in the cross, His resurrection, His ascension to heaven, His coming; but in the light of these truths, I remained ignorant who He really was.
For me then, Jesus is just a good person like Daniel, Joseph, and others. For me, as long as I believe in God, mention God’s name in my prayers, memorize scriptures, don’t smoke, drink, drugs, I’m ok.
All these years, I just found out, I’ve never known Jesus as “God”, and I never bothered knowing. I might have the idea, but everything seems blurry. I can see but darkly.
No wonder, I often felt God as a distant God. No wonder I haven’t felt His presence in my life. No wonder my prayers often lead me to formalism. That’s all because I have not known Him, who He really is.
Towards heaven
My life is still a constant struggle with sin, but the difference is, I am enlightened.
If Jesus is given, then I have to accept Him as my personal Savior. He is heaven’s greatest gift. If I refuse, what more could He give?
Jesus embraced humanity to Himself. He’s my King, my God, and my friend. Whatever I am today in my Christian walk, I always go back to that day when I looked steadfastly towards heaven.
Let me hear your thoughts. Please share your experience in the comments section below.
I was in my third year in college. I hurriedly went home after an exhausting class. I never even dimly forethought that from that timely encounter, I could be seriously hit - not by a car or something, but through a message.
Getting hit
One of my roommates, after his usual devotional study, stood up from his bed, and desperately shared his readings – a message that started a change in my life. A message sent from God. Kuya B never hesitated to share the message that I really needed the most.
This is my personal conversion testimony. As to my status, you might not believe my revelation. Status, because I’m an active church goer and president of a non-class religious organization during that time.
Honestly, I have never known Jesus better if it were not by that incident. I’m a nominal Christian. I’m a lost one silver coin. I don’t have the right focus in my Christian life then, not until one humble servant of God helped me open my eyes and understand the unknown.
The message
“Jesus is about to ascend.” Kuya B started to share His thoughts while holding the book he was reading. He’s referring to the 87th chapter of Desire of Ages.
“With hands outstretched in blessing to His disciples,” kuya B continued, “Jesus slowly ascended up heavenward. And when the disciples went back to Jerusalem, the people looked upon them with amazement for they expected to see an expression of sorrow upon their faces. But instead of this, there was only happiness and thanksgiving to God. With rejoicing they told the wonderful story of Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension to heaven.”
Awe-stricken
While he’s sharing all this, I was there seated awe-stricken like the disciples he was talking about. But I made myself appear not so obvious.
“Why?” Kuya B continued seeing me interested. “Christ had ascended to heaven in the form of humanity. The same Jesus who had walked, talked, prayed, cried, and laughed - the same Jesus had now gone to share His Father's throne. They knew that Jesus was in heaven, and that His sympathies were with them still. They knew that they had a friend at the throne of God, and they were eager to present their requests to God in the name of Jesus, their best friend.”
Just heard
I never heard about this before. The testimony fell upon me as if I was there with the disciples of old.
Kuya B, after sharing, went to work his chores and I was there left alone astonished.
“Jesus is God”, I thought to myself, “and like me, in a form of humanity.” There I spent the rest of my time alone reflecting the gospel I just heard.
Make sense
Now John 3:16 came to me in its real sense. God really loved the world that He gave Jesus, His only begotten Son. He “gave” Jesus – not “held”, not “took”, not “kept”, not “lent”, that its equivalent somehow will be returned – but “gave”.
Jesus? It’s a name I might have mentioned in the church or in a group before, but it’s never personal - I just don’t know. I have known Jesus’ story since I was a kid. I am familiar with His suffering, sacrifice, and death in the cross, His resurrection, His ascension to heaven, His coming; but in the light of these truths, I remained ignorant who He really was.
For me then, Jesus is just a good person like Daniel, Joseph, and others. For me, as long as I believe in God, mention God’s name in my prayers, memorize scriptures, don’t smoke, drink, drugs, I’m ok.
All these years, I just found out, I’ve never known Jesus as “God”, and I never bothered knowing. I might have the idea, but everything seems blurry. I can see but darkly.
No wonder, I often felt God as a distant God. No wonder I haven’t felt His presence in my life. No wonder my prayers often lead me to formalism. That’s all because I have not known Him, who He really is.
Towards heaven
My life is still a constant struggle with sin, but the difference is, I am enlightened.
If Jesus is given, then I have to accept Him as my personal Savior. He is heaven’s greatest gift. If I refuse, what more could He give?
Jesus embraced humanity to Himself. He’s my King, my God, and my friend. Whatever I am today in my Christian walk, I always go back to that day when I looked steadfastly towards heaven.
And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. Luke 24:50-53
Let me hear your thoughts. Please share your experience in the comments section below.
