How God’s Glorious & Saving Grace Changed My Life - Rev. Maulin Vanderburgh
As told by Rev. Maulin Vanderburgh
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
I grew up an ardent Jehovah’s Witness, and was one until God’s Saving Grace laid hold on me.
While living in Brooklyn, New York (the year was 1982) my sister-in-law (my husband’s sister) invited us (my husband and I) to a Missionary Service at the Pentecostal Church she attended. My first thought was: She knew I don’t attend other churches (Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in interfaith fellowship) why is she even inviting me. I thought about it long and hard then decided if I go this once I will get her off my back and that will be the end of it.
With great skepticism and trepidation, I went and deliberately sat in the rear of the church. Needless to say, the loud singing, the drums, the tambourines and hand clapping were a bit over the top for me. I sat there just wishing it would be over so I could leave.
God’s Saving Grace met me there and “I knew it not”. Nearing the end of the service, a man who was sitting on the platform took the microphone and made the following announcement: “I have a message for you, if you want to hear it come back tomorrow.” His words resonated with me and it was as if he was addressing me personally. I could not get the words out of my mind, and although I had no intention of going back, I felt such a prodding that I had to go back to hear what this message was all about.
I went back the Sunday morning, the message brought forth by Pastor Baxter (the man who made the announcement) was taken from John 4:24
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
After listening to the message, I knew something was lacking. (As a Jehovah’s Witness you are taught that you have the truth and all other religions are false. It was also taught that if a member leaves the faith they should be shunned. I experienced that firsthand, my biological relatives who are Jehovah’s Witnesses no longer speak to me.)
I had this hunger to hear more so I kept going back to the church although I would not participate. This went on for a while until I surrendered my life to God.
I am so thankful to God for His Saving Grace through His Son Jesus Christ who shed His blood on Calvary’s cross so that I might have life and have it more abundantly. Having surrendered my life to the Lord, I now join the song writer in saying “On Christ the solid Rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand.” I also join in the sweet refrain of this song:
“When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all He has done for me, my soul cries out Hallelujah, thank God for saving me.”
God is truly an amazing God; He prefers not the death of sinners but that all should repent and worship Him in spirit and in truth.