How God Saved Me

I had the unspeakable privilege of being born into a family were both my parents were saved. Their hearts desire was to see their family saved and on their way to heaven. 

We were taught the word of God by Godly Sunday School teachers learning from an early age that we had a soul that would live forever and ever. Because our parents were saved it didn’t make us fit for heaven. Unless we repented of our sins and trusted the Saviour who died on the Cross of Calvary we would be in a lost Eternity and that forever! If gospel meetings came to the district it was an understood fact the we would attend the meetings. Again, faithful preachers emphasized the great need of being saved for the great eternity that lay beyond the grave. 

Many times, the thought would grip my soul that I needed to repent and believe, but those thoughts soon left me, and I carried on in my sins. When I was almost 16 years old, gospel meetings commenced in Wellington Street Gospel Hall (now Cambridge Avenue, Ballymena) the evangelists were Mr Hutchinson and Mr Beattie. I attended the meetings and became very burdened about my soul and where I would spend the great eternity. This really gripped me and as I sat in the meeting one night and for the very first time in my life, I realised that Hell was a real place and that I needed to heed the voice of God. I trembled in my seat and left the meeting crying knowing that I needed to get saved. I went home and went to a quiet room in the house reading many verses that I had learned over the years. I can remember my dad coming into the room and asking if I would like Mr Hutchinson to come and see me and I said that would be helpful. Mr Hutchinson came, he read with me and prayed with me and then left. I was still very confused trying to understand how I could be saved, how could I believe when since I was a child I always knew that the Lord Jesus came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost. 

I started to read 1st Peter 2 v 24 :

“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” 

For the very first time in my life I realised that the Lord Jesus bore all my sins on dark Calvary and simply believing on what Gods word said I put my faith and trust in the One who died for me. God’s word says it and I am saved. There was great rejoicing that night in our house when I went downstairs and told them I was saved. My burden of sin had rolled away, I was trusting in the Saviour. 

The next day I went to school and told my friend that I had got saved and her reply to me was “I thought you were saved” because of how you lived and always went to meetings. The devil is very cunning and used this to throw doubt on my joy. I struggled with what my friend had said to me for a few days, I asked God to show me from His word how I could have assurance of my salvation, 

I opened my Bible and it was Isaiah 43 v 1 …… 

Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. 

This was a great comfort to me and the assurance that I needed. I was saved on the 5th November 1969 and in May 1970 I was baptised and received into fellowship in Harryville Assembly, Ballymena. Another friend came to me one night after the meeting and said how she was so pleased to hear of my salvation and said “Trust, Delight and Commit thy way unto the Lord” Psalm 37 v 3, 4 and 5 

 

In the current lockdown these words have been very precious to me: 

“God sent His son, they called Him Jesus; He came to love, heal and forgive; He lived and died to buy my pardon, An empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow; Because He lives all Fear is gone; Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living Just because He lives.”

“In times like these you need a Saviour, In times like these you need an anchor, Be very sure, Be very sure, Your anchor holds and grips the solid Rock. This rock is Jesus, Yes, He’s the One, This rock is Jesus, The only One. Be very sure, be very sure, Your anchor holds and grips the solid Rock! “

Anne Moore 

15th June 2020