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When I was young my mother became a Christian and I remember going to Sunday school from when I was about 5. From that point on I have always believed in God, known Jesus came to die for my sins and knew all the Bible stories which all point to God's love and power. I can’t remember a point of ever doubting that – I was baptised when I was 9, I understood that Jesus was my Saviour, and to have my sins forgiven I needed to believe in him and become a Christian. I prayed and had faith, and I was a Christian. But there's one moment in my life, when I was 14, where God distinctly showed me that Jesus was not only Saviour, but the Lord – King – Ruler of my life as well. And I had to give my life to his plan, his will and not think of it as my own anymore. This in a very real sense was my encounter with the King.
As I said I was 14, and the church my family was going to had an annual church family camp – my whole family went, and there was a good group of teenagers on the camp. I was mates with most even though some were a few years older. I remember the first night of camp playing table tennis with some guys, this one guy Wade, was 17 and he was overly energetic, almost crazy in the enthusiasm he was putting into the games. For some reason I really took note of the energy, exuberance the life that this guy had.
The next day after the study session we were playing basketball, and again I remember Wade, who was the tallest guy round, totally dominating the game. But after a while he complained he had a headache – so he went and saw one of the adults, got some panadol and went for a sleep. We finished our game of basketball, cleaned up, had dinner and then after dinner we were having a bushdance. I’ll never forget seeing another mate of mine run up from the dorms grab one of the older guys who was a paramedic and race off together… shortly after that we cancelled the bushdance because my friend had found Wade in the dorm, not breathing and without a heartbeat.
As a church we broke into groups and prayed… the ambulance came and took Wade away – the entire time Neil, the paramedic, was giving him CPR. Almost an hour after the ambulance left the camp, we got a phonecall to say that Wade had been pronounced dead after arriving at the hospital. It was shocking, and horrible – and I remember wanting to talk to my Dad, only to realise that as the youth leader, he’d actually gone in the ambulance with Wade.
I waited up for Dad to return. Another adult took some of us boys into a cabin to talk, but I remember feeling so overwhelmed I just had to get out. Standing outside, under a magnificent, incredibly sky filled with stars I encountered the King. I remember looking up to the stars and questioning God – why had the most energetic, full of life person I knew just died? Wade had been playing basketball with me in the afternoon and was in heaven right now. I asked God why. And I received this amazing sense of peace. God spoke to me and he said that his plan was perfect, Wade was in heaven now because God had called him home – and though I didn’t understand, I had to know and accept that God’s plan was perfect, and he is the King. My plan wasn’t to pass away one night on a church camp, and that meant that God had a specific plan for my life. And not only did I have to believe in him as Saviour, but I had to hand over every aspect of my life to him as the King, the commander, the perfect planner and ruler of the life I was to lead.
Since then I can’t say I’ve let God have his way in every moment, I still wrangle the reigns back at times. But since then I can say that when I have taken control again I’ve realised that I’m not making things better and sooner or later Jesus shows up again to show me my mess, and take control once again.
In times of unrest, or problem God’s given me a verse and I’ll just finish by reading it. It’s Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD watches over you-- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life;8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
If that’s the case, then why should I try and rule my life, when the one with the perfect plan is able to keep me within it?
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