NOT THE PRODUCT OF UPBRINGING BUT A NEW BIRTH
My Story, Rob Proudlove
I was blessed to have a happy childhood and was brought up to go to Sunday School and looking back I can see many instances of God's goodness to me. A particular example was a friendship in my teens with a boy of different background from me socially, religiously, and politically-what debates we had! Among other things, my friend challenged me that my belief in God was nothing but a product of my upbringing, a sort of `brain-washing`. This charge led me to examine my beliefs and the teachings of the Bible. After much thought and reading I was for a time drawn to the liberal teachings of Bishop Robinson`s book "Honest to God" but as I tried to apply my beliefs to the big issues of life such as what career I should follow, my `faith` seemed to peter out and briefly I became a convinced atheist.
However, by this time God had brought me into contact with a group of young Christians and had also impressed on me a verse from the Bible where Jesus says "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" [John chapter 3 verse 3]. I was realizing my own need and helplessness, and I even remember praying for a spiritual `midwife`! Not long after, following a meeting of these young believers, I chatted with the visiting speaker who exercised that role. He pointed me to where in the Bible Jesus says "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him." [Revelation chapter 3 verse 20]. On that basis I asked Jesus to come into my life and can honestly say that my life has never been the same since as I discovered a new experience of God, and new aims and interests grew. This `new birth` certainly did not solve all my problems, or prove to be a bed of roses. However, the words of Jesus in John chapter 10 verse 10 ["I came that they may have life and have it abundantly"]certainly ring true in my experience as He has been with me as my life unfolded in my medical career , marriage and family.
Over the decades there have been many times of doubt, failure, and trial, but I have also known the goodness of God in Christ. One of the most important developments in my early years as a Christian was becoming convinced that the Bible is truly God's reliable word to us.
While I still have much to learn and much that needs to be straightened out in my life, and while I so often seem to fail to follow Jesus as I should, He has never let me down and I can think of no better life than that of being His, albeit unworthy, follower.