A 17 year-old high school student, I began to wonder whether God was real. I was a bit of a nerd, and so I went to a nearby library to thump through several topical books addressing the most popular world religions; but God still eluded me.

The Bible says that we find the Lord when we earnestly seek Him; however, I don’t think that we have to push too hard to move heaven’s door. Looking back, I was surprised to find the answer to my question right inside of me. A still small voice spoke to my heart and said:

“Hi! I am God. Pleased to meet you. And by the way: I do exist!”

Coming from an agnostic household, a living God who cares for me was a great revelation to me.

Different people have different stories to tell. Here is Saul’s story: He fell off his high horse literally and figuratively speaking when he was on his way to Damascus. Jesus interrupted his trip when He appeared to him in the middle of the road. Shocked, Saul asked Him [Acts 9:5]:

“‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked.

‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied.”

Previously, Saul had killed many followers of Christ thinking he was doing God a favor. It broke his heart to realize that he had been murdering God’s people all along.

When a law-abiding Jew like Saul was confronted with Jesus it must have felt as if he met God for the very first time. I imagine the Lord’s introduction went something like this:

“Hi I am God and I am gracious. You thought you could see? Indeed you were blind. You thought you were an exemplary Jew? Now you realize that you have the blood of innocent people on your hands. – But do not despair; there is good news for you: My Son Jesus came to extend a hand of mercy. You get to start over – you are forgiven.”

Everybody who has had a chance to meet the Lord has a story to tell. Salvation is offered to all people. The Lord wants to draw us near so that we are no longer strangers, but cherished friends of God.