He Met Me and Brought Me to His Church, Anonymous

From my childhood until the end of my high school years, I couldn't understand why so many people went to church every week. I had heard a lot about how the Lord Jesus died for us and gave salvation to us freely and that all we needed to do was to believe from our heart. I could accept that, but I still wondered what would be the point of going to church every week? The churches I visited with my friends resembled social gatherings so I was even more puzzled. As a result, I did not attend any Christian meetings for a number of years.

In high school, my heart was somewhat hardened toward the Lord. But the Lord had mercy on me through one of my teachers. She took an opportunity to talk with me about the meaning of human life. I had a lot of goals at that time and seemingly was doing ok, but within I was so empty. This feeling was especially manifest after finishing a big project successfully or after good times spent with my friends. I did not know why. So when my teacher told me, using Gen. 1:26 and Rom. 9:23, that human beings are vessels created by God in His image and after his likeness, it made a lot of sense to me. Without any hesitation I opened to receive the Lord into my empty vessel. The Lord came in and my life started to change.

This same teacher invited me to go with her to a meeting of the local church. The first time I went, I felt something really different there. From the singing to the speaking, the focus and content was just Christ. I was so surprised to see these people experiencing the Lord Jesus in such a daily and practical way. Deep within me there was an echo. I wanted what they had. Every time after I went to the meetings, I was so energized by the Lord and His Word.

Some weeks later, with some Christian sisters, I read a book concerning the Church. Prior to that time I didn't know much about the truth of the Church. I was just so nourished by the Christ in the saints. Through that book, the Lord showed me in the Bible that the Church is not something outward or organizational; rather the Church is the very thing that God wants to gain for Christ; It is a living Body composed of God's life within the believers. This Body is built up by our gaining Christ and imparting Him into others so that we all can grow up into the Head, Christ. Now, I am so thankful that He brought me to the local church!