Inspiring Convert Story-16
"I was called and chosen"
By Amit Ranjan
India
I CONSIDER MYSELF blessed
to be one of those who were called and chosen to serve God. I
am an Indian national. I was raised in India, the country known as
the cradle of Hinduism, and never did it occur to me
that one day I'll change my religion.
During my first visit to the Philip pines in
February 2001, I was invited to attend a worship service of the
Iglesia ni Cristo in Tangub, Negros Occidental. The lesson was
preached in the local dialect, while the hymns were sung and the
prayers were rendered in Tagalog. This sounded strange to me, But it
was an exhilarating experience, I should say, and I noticed right
away not only the organized manner of worship but, most of all, the
absence of statues, which has been in total contrast to the Hindu
worship.
Again, on my return in August 2001, I was able to
attend a worship service and the impression I had on my first visit
was the same. These visits had exposed me to the Christian belief.
In December 2002, while traveling in Thailand, I
was able to go to a congregational worship service in Bangkok where,
for the first time, I was able to understand everything that
transpired because it was conducted in English although the
preaching of the gospel was on video.
In December 2003, I was invited again to attend
the worship service of the Iglesia ni Cristo by Sister
Rhea Joy C. Jadia, the same person who introduced me to this faith
that is far different from what I had grown accustomed to. She
was very much devoted to her religion and was very vocal about it
that she kept on asking me questions about my Hindu faith. In the
process, she managed to make me think things over and it resulted in
more unanswered questions regarding the religion and
tradition in which I was raised to uphold with no queries.
Starting on January 18, 2004, I attended the
worship services on my own but in all those times, I still kept
asking myself what I was doing there. I was far from being
comfortable. I didn't know anybody. I felt that I
was like a stranger
surrounded by strangers with a strange faith being preached to me.
What I didn't perceive at that time was that God was calling me and
He guided my steps to the place of worship on the scheduled
time to keep attending the worship services.
After several months of continuous attendance in
the worship services, I felt there must be something I needed to
discover and so, I prayed to God to show me the reason why I should
believe in this Church, when all other religions around the globe
also claim that they are of God. I communed with God in prayers,
asking Him that if He is true and this faith is true, that He make
me feel His presence. By then, I had already learned to say a
heartfelt prayer and sing the hymns during the worship ser vices as
well.
But I realized that something was still missing.
So, I prayed harder and I learned to lean unto God for support,
protection, and guidance not only for my professional life but for
my personal needs as well and, mosl of all, to show me the path of
His righteousness.
I continued to attend the congregational worship
services as well as the Thanksgiving worship services and even the
grand evangelical missions. My faith deepened but I was not ready to
take the big leap of conversion just as yet. The religion I grew up
to was completely different from this newfound religion I was being
introduced to. I grew up celebrating grand Hindu festivals, prayed
to all Hindu gods (feeling then that my prayers were also heard and
answered), followed Hindu traditions, and so on. More than anything
else, I loved and respected my parents and the culture which I was
raised in. I felt like a huge ingrate if I turned my back on them to
embrace a new faith.
When I went back to the Philippines in June 2005,
I was able to attend a worship service in Cebu where the house of
worship was spacious and worthy of admiration. They had an English
worship service, so I was able to actively take part in the service
and listen attentively. I also attended a worship service in Caliban,
Negros Occidental where the place of worship was comparatively
small. After having been to so many congregations, I came to a
conclusion: Big or small, admirable or simply humble, whether the
gospel is preached in a language I understood or not, all members of
the Iglesia ni Cristo are united in spirit in serving the one true
God and it left an indelible mark in my heart.
Before I left,
Sister Rosemarie C. Jadia, the mother of Sister Rhea,
gave me a copy of the Pasugo. She holds several offices in the
Church and is also steadfast in her faith. I read
the Pasugo, understood it. On the worship service I attended after
that, I approached Brother Carlito Y. Matahom Jr., a deacon, and
told him of my intention to undergo instruction in biblical
doctrines. He introduced me to a minister, Brother Ranilo G.
Borrero, who was instrumental in making me
understand the true religion. His
spiritual guidance enhanced my enthusiasm to
get know the Church better, how I could become worthy to be called a
member of the Church, and, most of all, how I could give honor and
great glory to the one true God.
On July 20, 2005, I began my Bible studies.
I felt I was ready to embark on this endeavor of understanding the
commandments of God. While undergoing instruction in
biblical doctrines, I learned how to pray like a true member of the
Church of Christ. I studied the commandments of God, I learned about
the true nature of Christ, the reemergence of the Iglesia ni
Cristo in these last days in the Philippines on July 27, 1914, the
real essence of baptism, and a lot more. It changed my life
completely.
The most significant day of my life was marked on
March 25, 2006 when I received the holy baptism and emerged a new
person, now a true servant of our Almighty God. It was so
overwhelming and very spiritual and it made me realize my purpose-
in life, giving meaning to my life—to serve and honor our Lord God
and our Lord Jesus Christ.
The next day was another significant day in my
life. It was my first attendance in the Holy Supper in the true
Church.
Today, I am no longer the stranger I used to be
but an active member of the true Church. I make sure to participate
in all Church activities and no matter how tight my work schedule
is, I try hard not to miss any of the worship services because it is
where I feel most at peace with God and with myself. Shortly after
my baptism, due to the nature of my job as systems consultant, I was
able to go to other countries and attend worship services in other
congregations, namely Kuala Lumpur and Penang in Malaysia, Jakarta
in Indonesia, Bangkok in Thailand, and even in Kowloon in Hong Kong.
I pray that our faith in God will always give us
strength to endure all we have to hurdle in life. May we
successfully combat all trials and always offer
our achievements to God. May our faith continue to strengthen until
we reach perfection and spiritual maturity.
___________________
Source: June 2011, God's Message, p.19-20