The Night I Met Jesus

Reading Time: 7 Minutes

A Good Foundation

I learned about Jesus from the time I was born. My parents were missionaries to Asuncion, Paraguay and their relationship with God was real. Jesus Loves Me, Jesus Loves The Little Children and all the beautiful hymns had been a part of my life from the beginning. Family devotionals, attending church and even chapel services at school were a part of my upbringing. But knowing about Jesus and meeting Him are two very different things. This is the story about the night I met Jesus.

Not Quite Ready

When I was about 9 years old we spent a year of missionary furlough in Memphis, TN. We attended a great big beautiful church that was so different from our sweet little church in Paraguay. One of my few and favorite memories about that church was “the candy man.” He was a sweet old man who stood at the sanctuary door with his coat pockets full of lemon drops. There was no “children’s church” so parents were happy for their kids to have a piece of candy to help keep them occupied. We had to promise to be still and quiet. That lemon drop made the long sermon seem a little more tolerable for the young daydreamers like me.

I noticed that others around me had already been baptized by the time they were my age. I felt ashamed. So one Sunday morning during “the invitation” I walked forward in front of everyone and spoke with the pastor. He set up a meeting with my mother and me for later that week. When the time came, I couldn’t answer his questions about salvation because I had no idea what he was talking about. If I remember correctly he eventually gave me yes and no questions and somehow I bluffed my way through the questions. Obviously I lied to avoid further shame, but soon after that I was baptized in water. I felt relieved because now I felt I was like everyone else.

Happy Campers

Soon we moved back to Paraguay and we settled back into our missionary routine. Every year my school, the Asuncion Christian Academy, had a spiritual retreat/camp. Our teachers were our camp counselors and I loved it! There were short devotionals and simple worship services. We enjoyed swimming races, soccer games and other sports. Being highly competitive, I enjoyed every event. The camp counselors divided the campers into teams at the beginning of the week and every activity was an opportunity to gain points for your team. My goal was always to win! 

One particular year at camp I was 11 years old. On the last day of camp we played our final soccer game right before lunch. I was assigned by a camp counselor to be goalie for my team. I was very good at scoring goals but I was a terrible goalie and dreaded the pressure of guarding the net. So from the start of the game I was not a happy camper.

The other team won. I stood beside my goal utterly heartbroken and embarrassed. The weight of my team’s defeat rested on my slumped shoulders. After all, I was the goalie and I let them score against my team. Shame creeped into my heart. The winners came charging past me toward the lunch room with their arms raised screaming, “We won! We won!”  One little girl in the pack looked me straight in the eye yelling happily as she sprinted past me. I slipped my right foot out and tripped her! But she bounced right back up and kept running victoriously.

A Healthy Conviction of Sin

And He, when He comes, will convict the world about [the guilt of] sin [and the need for a Savior], and about righteousness, and about judgment: John 16:8 AMP

Suddenly I realized what a terrible thing I had just done. She was a sweet little girl. I had no right to do that to her! My focus shifted to the fear of getting in trouble with the leaders. Which one of the camp counselors was going to approach me? Would they tell my parents?

My team was scheduled for kitchen duty so I went to the kitchen expecting to be called outside for a “talk.” I had looked forward to kitchen duty all week long, but suddenly guilt and shame was overwhelming me at every turn. I couldn’t enjoy the honor of working in the kitchen. That afternoon I kept thinking I was going to be disciplined for my behavior but no one came to punish me. I felt miserable!

The Night I Met Jesus

It was the last night of camp— the campfire night. My teacher, Mr. Doerksen, asked us to sit on the logs that were carefully arranged around the campfire. He gave each of us a stick from a tree and talked to us about the wooden cross of Jesus Christ, God’s Son. My guilt and shame were so heavy on me that night that I listened carefully to everything he said. I learned that Jesus died on a cross to take the punishment for my guilt, fear and shame. Mr Doerksen said we just had to believe in Jesus, give Him our lives and our sin would be taken away. We could be forgiven and made right with God. So I prayed and asked Jesus to forgive me for all of my sins— right there around the campfire. That was the moment I met Jesus and was spiritually born again.

For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13. NLT

Then Mr. Doerksen asked us to look up into the beautiful starry Paraguayan sky. He talked about the shining stars and God’s light that is in each person who believes in Jesus. He asked us to stand, walk over and place our sticks in the fire. As we sat down again, Mr. Doerksen noted that the fire was becoming brighter. Then he explained how we are God’s light in this dark world. Now that we know Jesus, we can bring others to Him. He said we would make an impact upon the world if we would let the love and grace of Jesus shine through us.

A New Person

I can’t explain what the Spirit did for me but something powerful happened the night I met Jesus. My guilt, fear and shame miraculously disappeared and I felt God’s love surround me. Even after I went home I was so in love with Jesus. I wanted to read the Bible every night and learn more about my God. Now I know that it was the Holy Spirit who came inside and made me a new person.

Not long after I met Jesus we moved from Paraguay to Nashville, TN for a 3 year leave of absence from the mission field. I had a wonderful church and pastor, Jim Henry, who preached about Jesus nearly every Sunday. One Sunday Brother Jim offered to baptize anyone who had been baptized before meeting Jesus. So I was baptized again and this time it was for real! I didn’t understand much about the “death to life” experience and living by the Spirit, but I did know Jesus and loved Him so much!

As a young believer I sat on my bed with my guitar and wrote songs to Jesus. I told friends and strangers about Him. My life was not free of problems but He walked with me through every trial I faced and every blunder I made. He still does! Jesus has never left me and He never will. There is no one like Jesus and I choose to follow Him every day of my life!

I have learned the importance of remembering and reflecting on the campfire, the cross and the beautiful starry night in Paraguay. That was the night I met Jesus Christ and fell in love with Him– the night He took away my guilt and shame and filled me with His love! Now I live to let His Spirit shine through me!