Last week we heard from Jordan, Rocky and Nick all talking about Good News.
I have been thinking for several days about how I can summarise or reflect on what I have heard. What does the Good News mean to me? As in the example of Acts 2:1-4, this same experience happened to me.
When I was a teenager attending Catholic school we read from a bible called the Good News in religion classes. I don't recall ever understanding what this meant. I believed there was a God, but I never felt a strong connection.
My understanding of The Good News changed in 1993 – it became a real experience in my life. This was the year my father became very ill and passed away within 3 months at 57 years old.
At the time the impact of this event made me question my own life and happiness. One thing I did observe was how my brother responded to my father's death. He had this peace and comfort that I couldn't quite comprehend.
A few months later, my brother invited me to a small church meeting at his house, and I observed that all the other people in this group also had this peace and confidence. They spoke to me about scriptures in the Bible that suddenly made sense to me; I was not on the right path. I needed to change.
Two weeks after this meeting I decided to get baptised by full emersion as the bible commands. After this experience, they mentioned I could have a closer connection to God by receiving the holy spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I thought this was very weird but also curious if this could happen to me. Later that evening I was driving home, reflecting on my day and what I had heard. I spoke and said “okay God if you are real then give me this Holy Spirit”, then at that moment, I spoke in a language I had never learnt and I knew this was the sign I was looking for, I had also received the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Like what happened in Acts 2:1-4. I was also filled with peace and confidence that I didn’t have before. I had hope and assurance that God was real and the Good News message of salvation was true. I was part of Gods plan and my future has taken a different direction.
Here is a poem to express The Good News.
Abounding in Hope
A living hope was revealed in 1993
I was connected with my creator
The Good News was a message I heard
I had to change my thinking
I was immersed in water cleansed from the old me
I spoke in tongues as a sign and proof that God was alive and real
I changed
I felt different
A peace that passes all my own understanding was revealed
Forgiveness of past hurts
A confidence that is a foundation in my life
The good news I heard changed my life entirely
My Good News never fades
The power of God is eternal and everlasting in my life
Being filled with God’s holy spirit and being loved by God
A strength more powerful than my words can convince
An amour and shield that no matter what I come across that my hope is the Good News of everlasting life.
by Susan