‘Amazing grace

how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see’

A sinner saved by grace is what I am. I am a child of God, not because I am all deserving, but because he chose me. I grew up in a Godly family, my mum and my grandparents taught me the importance of God in my life. Like most children then, I got baptized and I was given a Christian name. I still have the picture with me, thanks to my mum for capturing the moment. I had a God-mother, who unfortunately passed on before I could meet her.

Sunday was a church day, and there was no way I would miss that. I loved Sunday school. The church brigade was the best place to be every Saturday afternoon. I loved everything about it. The band,the friends and the group.

As I was baptized at an early age, I had to be confirmed later, guess this is to just know that I truly understood what I was in. My mum  and I were required to attend an evening class once a week as part of the confirmation process. After a long school day, this was definitely hard ball for me. My encouragement and excitement was because I was to graduate at the end of my primary school years. This was going to be a double graduation, a new beginning at many levels. However, just a week before my confirmation, my mum broke to me disappointing news. The church elders said I was too young, having not reached the recommended age of thirteen years.I was only a few months to my thirteenth birthday and after all the effort, they wouldn’t burge.  I was devastated. It left a bad taste in my mouth. I felt rebellious. I wanted to change churches or worse still, stop going to church altogether.

High school provided an escape to all this and because we later moved house, it was the better because I did not feel the pressure to go back to that church.  At school I was at home with the local church. We sang Kamba worship songs. The downside was that the services were far too long with so many activities in between. For that reason, I moved to the Catholic church. Their services were strictly two hours. We danced our souls with reckless abandon. This did not go well with our conservative games captain who consequently kicked us out a tard too late because high school had come to an end for us.

When I joined college, it was now my decision to go or not to go to church,  and what church?, I found an awesome church when I moved to Nairobi’s Embakasi. I was introduced to this church by my sister’s friend. In this church, I heard God call me by name, literally.  I was quick to get involved. I joined a home bible study group for young people, where I met young people with a real zeal to serve God. I was challenged; I was full of admiration. Their walk with Christ.They were passionate in their study of the word, their worship and in their dancing. They were fun to watch and be with. For the first, the notion that Christianity is boring perished. I was the typical outsider justifying my giving, caring for the needy, being  a good person, not doing awful things was good enough. I thought Jesus wanted perfect people to be saved. But here I was with people of flesh and blood like me, confessing that they fall, but by the grace of God, get up and continue to entrust their lives to Him. It took time but I learnt Christ calls us as we are.

I diligently attended church, everyday feeling more like I have found a new family. The pastor of the church was very keen and would enquire of me whenever I missed church. My new found friends would come by my house to check on me. It was not long before I was totally won over and I got deeply engaged in church voluntary activities and suddenly, church was the best hangout place for me.

I spent a lot of time with these born again young christians, but I was not born again. One day, one of the youngsters challenged me pointing out that all my good words and deeds were just “makelele kwa Mungu” (Swahili for “noise to God”) I felt offended and thought that was mean to say the least. Later on that day, I reflected on his words and I came across this verse in the Bible,

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (I

Corinthians 15:58).

It hit home. This is intended for those whose labour is in the Lord. I was labouring, yes, in the Lord, no. I was not in the Lord, though I loved God, I prayed and presumptuously did what He expected of me, there was that one thing missing that was connect me to him;

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'” (John14:6). 

Voila! Right there! I need to take that step.  I need to accept Christ. I need to be born again. I need to be a new creation, to discard the old and embrace a new me. Even as I felt inadequate, undeserving…

Romans 3:23-24 

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,( a fact) 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.(I can only be justified  through grace that is in Christ alone)  

One morning while out camping, after the morning devotion, when the alter call came, I could no longer hold back that decision, I  couldn’t act like it was someone else’s call, I knew this was it. I gave my life to Christ. I have not looked back since then. I am imperfect but with a perfect master. I am a sinner saved by His grace. His grace is new every morning. He is my God. I, the bigger sinner, have seen a bigger saviour in Christ Jesus. I took upon myself His york so that now my burden (of sin)  is lighter.

Indeed, He’s been my rock and my salvation, an ever present help in times of need. In His death on the cross and by His grace  I have been given the right to be called a child of God

Galatians 4:4-7

4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.[b]6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[c] Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

I must agree with this verse

Proverbs 27:17 

17 As iron sharpens iron,
    so one person sharpens another.

God used my friends, who are my new family to sharpen me. Their impact on my life spiritually is immeasurable, unquantifiable. Some of them have since become pastors passionately influencing for God.  Others still give a great deal of their time serving church ministries.

God’s placement is in perfect harmony with the plans He has for you. If you are like me, then you will know it is not enough just to have good deeds, acts of kindness, helping and giving to the poor, wise counsel and words of encouragement to others. all these may matter, but in vain because there is only one way to the Father, and that is through Jesus. Only that which is pursued in Christ counts, make yours count.