Our salvation stories

“But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life.” 1 Timothy 1:16
Paul had a testimony that was more exciting than most – an educated upbringing, progressing extremely well in his Phariseeism, going out killing Christians, having Jesus Himself appear to him on the Damascus road, then making a complete U-turn to preach the gospel he was trying to destroy. My own testimony is not nearly as exciting – I grew up in a Christian family, I’ve always known the Lord, and I’ve never gone off the rails. No matter where your testimony lies on the ‘excitement’ scale, each of us has a story to tell about our salvation. It may be about the contrast in our lives, from what we were ‘then’ to what we are now; or it may be about where we would have ended up if it wasn’t for God. When I reflect on the latter, I shudder to think – yet another anti-God academic, workaholic, far from finding God. How thankful I am that God saved me from a young age!
Every salvation story is an example of God’s patience. God doesn’t just give us one chance to be saved and if we ignore it or push it away, says, ‘Fine, that’s it then.’ No, He keeps giving us opportunity throughout our lives. God never gave up on Paul, the self-confessed ‘worst of sinners’. And He won’t give up on anyone else, either. His patience is unlimited, and we can all be thankful for that.