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Back in Nashville when I "found the Lord" or should I say...when he found me...I was attending a Cumberland Presbyterian Church. It was a start up church pastored by Vernon Burrows...an eccentric old guy who thought outside of the box while at the same time believing very traditional things about the atonement, the existence of an eternal hell etc. etc. etc. Vernon baptized me and my three kids..back when they were in elementary school.
Cumberland Presbyterians sprinkle...so we were not dunked. The four of us stood up in front of the small congregation and recited the required affirmations and statement of beliefs. I wonder if I could affirm those same beliefs at this stage of my spiritual evolution? Not sure...and it doesn't matter. That was really the starting point for my walk of faith. While I was attending that church, a hopeful agnostic, God apprehended me, whispered his assurance that he did, indeed, exist and that he really was with me.
And that is sort of my true north. Listening to that same voice that whispered to me back in Nashville.
Pastor Vernon had a penchant for a particular song written by S. Sundar Singh. We sang it almost every week (much to the dismay of those in the small congregation who much preferred more modern praise and worship music) My best cyber bud, annie, often closes her posts with a quote from the song. The hymn is entitled, I Have Decided To Follow Jesus....and I am including a video of some really cute kids singing it for your viewing delight.....
And in case you missed some of those (out of the mouths of babes) lyrics.......
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
So to the best of my knowledge..what my spiritual discernment discerns...that is what I am doing. Following Jesus.
2 comments:
Beautiful, Cindi :)
That Isaisah verse ... oooh, no wonder it's one of my favourite books. Definitely overdue for a read.
God is amazing.
And hey, weird response maybe but watching all those kids sing "I have decided to follow Jesus" when most of them have not decided any such thing made me feel sort of creepy ... but maybe it's just me :)
I never thought of it that way...the creepy aspect of the kids singing the song. It does sort of hint at indoctrination huh?
I guess I just relate it to my own kids when they were younger...in church and singing songs like that..and to the kids I see even now at the church I (sporadically) attend.
When I attended a Calvinist church they would never sing that song because everyone knows only the elect decide to follow Jesus and he chooses you not the other way around...and it was not an appropriate song to sing.
As always, thanks for your comments.
Cindi....
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